It's all a game
by MiniTav
Summary: It's Kyle's worst nightmare when he's made Cartman's personal slave and the two have never hated each other more; until an accident that leaves one in hospital has a deep affect on them both.
1. Chapter 1

Kyle, Kenny and Stan were playing basketball to savour the last few hours of the weekend. It was just getting dark and the streetlights around the basketball court had begun to pathetically flicker on. They would quite often savour the last hours of the weekend together to make it last that little bit longer.

"Hey didn't Cartman say he was coming tonight?" Kenny muffled when the ball hit his chest after Kyle had thrown it to him.

"He told me he was coming." Stan said whilst holding his arms out and gesturing with flicks of his fingers for Kenny to throw the ball to him.

Kenny threw the ball and Stan caught it with his arms still outstretched. He then pivoted on the ball of his foot to face the net high above him. Knowing he was going to try to throw it up, Kyle and Kenny joined him at his sides.

Stan's tongue inadvertently stuck out at the corner of his mouth as his eyes narrowed and he held the ball at arm's length, pointing it up towards the hoop as he aimed.

He then bent his knees and elbows ready to fire himself up and just as he did a call from behind the three shocked him making him jump off balance and throw the ball so it hit the ring.

"You guys!" Cartman shouted whilst running into the court, throwing his weight around at his sides.

Kyle and Kenny turned around first whilst Stan remained looking at the ball as it hit the floor again and rolled away from him.

"You guys!" Cartman shouted again before coming to a halt and breathing deeply with his hands on his knees and the rest of his body bent over them exhausted from running the short distance there from his house. Anyone else who saw him would've thought he was in pain if not for his beaming smile that was still glowing.

"What the hell fatass?" Kyle said in the silence whilst waiting for Cartman to catch his breath.

Cartman just looked impatiently at him and straightened up again.

"You would not believe what I have just heard!"

Stan joined them after picking up the ball and kept it tucked under his arm.

"I've just been talking to my cousin because my mom says he's broken his leg and I was forced, against my will, to say get well soon and the usual crap. But let's face it I might as well be some stranger off the street saying get well soon it's not like he knows me!"

The three looked at each other confused to see if any of them had any idea where this was going. Cartman watched them do this and ignored it but spoke a little faster to keep their simple minds engaged.

"But anyway get this. There's a programme at his school that allows him to make a wish to the teachers and class…and he'll get it! He can wish for anything in the world and the teachers will let him have it!"

Kenny's eyes widened in surprise and Stan and Kyle felt like doing the same but they didn't want to seem too interested until they heard more so they just stayed silent and waited expectantly for Cartman to continue.

"My cousin said he wished for a huge ice cream sundae to be delivered to his house every day he was ill, with extra chocolate sprinkles and raspberry sauce with gummy bears mixed inside…and he got it!"

Kenny's mouth now hung open just as Stan's and Kyle's eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" Kenny muffled as a screech through his parka.

"Oh I'm deadly serious!"

"No way!" Stan agreed in awe.

"Do we have that at our school?" Kyle asked.

"No dude or Timmy would've gotten something ages ago. Our school's not that cool." Stan sighed and Kenny also dropped his shoulders in disappointment.

"Not yet its not." Cartman smiled making the three boys look sharply up at him.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked though he hoped he knew.

"I've got my mother on the phone to Mr. Mackay right now requesting this new programme be introduced to the school to *ahem* improve the quality of the children's happiness during times of sorrow both in and out of school." He said with his hands clasped and head raised as he repeated what he must've asked his mom to say earlier.

"Dude!" Kenny shouted with glee.

"What do we have to do to get wishes?" Kyle asked excitedly.

"Well my cousin broke his leg and he wished for a sundae but you can undergo any physical injury or in a few exceptions have a deep and burrowing emotional problem."

Kyle's and Stan's shoulder's drooped again; what were the chances of them getting injured any time soon if they haven't already?

"Wahoo!" Kenny cheered next to them and threw his arms in the air making the others look at him in confusion.

"…Anyway…" Cartman continued. "If all goes to plan any day now we can have any wish we want in the world come true if ever we get injured!" He said excitedly.

"Great." Kyle said sarcastically.

Cartman's wide eyelids dropped to half way down his eyes and his beaming smile fell to a small straight line. "Kahl…just…seriously."

"What?"

"Just…stop being such a negative Nancy alright?"

Kyle rolled his eyes and looked away and Cartman's wide eyes and broad smile grew back and focused on Stan for the reaction he wanted.

Stan stared back at him and at Kenny. "Yeah, that sounds pretty cool."

"You bet your ass it does!" Cartman cheered and Kenny joined him shouting with glee and jumping up and down.

The next day at school Kenny, Kyle, Stan and Cartman stepped off the bus in front of South Park elementary and walked inside through the corridors.

"Good mornin' fellas!" Butters called as they walked past.

"Shut the hell up Butters." Cartman replied bluntly, and none of them gave him any acknowledgement.

"Oh, oh all right then." Butters replied in a hushed murmur and let his head drop.

When they made it to their class Mr. Garrison was already standing at the front of the room writing something on the board so the boys immediately took their seats with a few others in the classroom.

As everyone else made their way in they too were all surprised to see Mr. Garrison doing something this early in the morning and he was still facing the other way writing more on the board even as everyone had taken their seats. He eventually turned around to greet the class once he had finished.

"Good morning children. I've been looking over my term schedules and it appears that I have actually taught you all f*ck all." He started.

"Yeah we know." Stan said calmly and the rest of the class were also surprised he had only just noticed this.

"Well that's all going to change this term! We're all going to come out of this school term with some new knowledge in our heads!"

"You said that last year." Kyle stated and the rest of the class muttered in agreement.

"Yes well the reason we didn't learn last year is because I got distracted. So if I can go through this lesson with no interruptions I promise to teach you all something."

The whole class looked around at each other and then stayed silent.

"Alright then we'll start with-"

"Hello children!" Mr. Mackay called as he swung open the door and leant into the classroom.

"Ah screw it." Mr. Garrison moaned and went to sit at his desk.

"Children it has come to my attention that the school isn't up to date in terms of your happiness m'ckay. In fact in a recent inspection of the school it turns out almost half of you are emotionally depressed, now being depressed is bad m'ckay. We don't want you depressed m'ckay."

Kenny looked over to Cartman with a smile on his face and Cartman smiled back.

"So we are introducing a new programme that will benefit those of you in the room that are really sick m'ckay." Mr. Mackay continued and walked to the board and rubbed off all that Mr. Garrison had written that morning leaving him to sink his head into his hands.

"It's called: 'Take this wish'." He said slowly as he wrote each word on the board and the children now sat up in their seats and listened hard. "Now what this will do children m'ckay is help you in times of need, you see if you ever fall ill with a sickness or a physical injury-"

"What about an emotional problem?" Cartman called.

"M'ckay or an emotional problem, the school will grant you a wish to make you feel happier."

The class fell silent for a while with smiles growing larger on every face as they began to imagine their greatest wish until one boy at the back shouted in anger.

"That's it? That's how you're going to deal with my emotional problem? No counselling or therapeutic help?"

Mr. Mackay was stunned at this response and didn't know what to say.

"M'ckay."

The boy stood up and screamed in anger before diving out of the nearest window. The class and two teachers watched him do this in silence and then everyone turned back to Mr. Mackay.

"M'ckay, are there any other questions?"

At lunch the whole school was filled with excitement and everyone was talking about the new programme as every class had been told.

"I would wish for a shopping spree at the candy store!"

"No I'd get a puppy!"

"Or a new purse!"

"If I ever break my arm I'm gonna be soo happy." Craig muttered.

"Isn't this awesome you guys?" Cartman said to the other three as he looked around him from their bench in the cafeteria. "See how much happier the depressed kids are?"

"They're happy now but when they remember they'll need to break something to get a wish they'll soon go back to being depressed, in fact they'll probably be more inclined to hurt themselves!" Kyle said also watching the foolish faces with pity.

"Kahl…again…seriously"

"I didn't even know we had depressed kids, dude." Stan said to stop the argument.

"Well it's a good job I knew, for I am their saviour, the one that will pull them out of the dark…"

"Oh shut up! You just introduced this for yourself!" Kyle shouted.

Cartman narrowed his eyes at him.

"This is gonna be sweet you guys! What should I wish for first?" Kenny cheered and the three gave him the same confused look as before.

"Why would you even want this Cartman? For a back-up in case at some random point in the future at some random time something will happen to you?" Kyle said turning his attention back on Cartman.

"Who said it had to be random…" Cartman replied with a smile.

Kyle frowned at him and Stan did the same after looking back from Kenny, who was holding an old scrap piece of paper and scribbling down wishes. They knew what that smile meant. He has another plan and some way or another it always ends up getting them all in trouble.

That evening Cartman walked home from school with a spring in his step and a smile on his face, whistling a merry tune through the snow.

He arrived at his front door, took a deep breath in and suddenly dropped the smile. He stood frozen still on the front step, without blinking, until his eyes began to slightly water around the edges. He then began to tremble his lips and his eyebrows fell at one side to the corner of his eyes. He was ready.

He burst open his front door loud enough for his mom to hear and began to breathe deeply and heavily.

"Poopsikins is that you?" Leanne Cartman asked as she walked into the hall from the kitchen.

On seeing her sons red face and wet cheeks from the tears pouring from his eyes she immediately fell to the floor beside him, putting her arms around his shoulders.

"Oh my Eric, what's wrong?"

Cartman raised his gloved hand and brushed it under his nose before looking sorrowfully up at his mother.

"I'm sorry mom, I never meant for you to find out! Please don't leave me too mother please!" He cried and flung his arms around her.

"Leave sweetums? Where? What's wrong?"

"It's just…I just…" Cartman muffled in her shirt so Leanne held him out in front of her at arm's length to hear him.

"I just really wish I had a dad! Not because you're no fun just because all my friends have one and I feel like a freak mom!" Cartman cried and forced his way back into her.

Leanne looked down at him and stroked her hand across his hair. "Oh dear."

"I'm really emotionally troubled mom!" Cartman sobbed.

Leanne looked up from him but remained stroking his head as she thought hard about what to do.

During the silence Cartman cried a little louder to get her to say something and it worked.

"Well poopsikins, I think I might know what to do that'll make you feel better."

Cartman looked up at her and fluttered his eyelids. "Really?"

"Yes, you see I never told you this Eric but last month I put together a list of names of possible people who could be your father." She said guiltily and Cartman's cute innocent face dropped to one of confusion and anger.

"Huh?"

"Oh I'm sorry Eric I should've told you sooner but I didn't want to get your hopes up."

"No mom-"

"Let me go get it." She smiled and started to walk upstairs.

"God dam it." Cartman muttered. "No mom!" He shouted up to her and followed her into her room where she was reaching into a drawer in her bedside table.

"Mom no, that's not what I meant." Cartman started angrily and then softened his voice again remembering he was supposed to be upset. "What I think would make me better is help and support from my school and friends."

"Here it is!" Leanne cried and pulled out a small red address book.

"Mom you're not listening, remember that new programme 'Take this wish' with the school?"

Leanne didn't reply but began flicking through the pages and pages of names.

"Mom! I don't give a crap about your list, I want a wish!" Cartman called making her look up at him in shock. "Please…" He said quickly and sweetly.

"Really poopsikins?"

"Yes mother." He smiled and fluttered his eyes.

"And that's what will make you feel better?"

Cartman clasped his hands and rocked from side to side. "If it isn't too much trouble."

Leanne looked down at the book and then back up to her darling son's face. She then slid the book back into the drawer and went to engulf him in a warm hug.

"If that's what you want." She smiled and Cartman nodded slowly.

Leanne released him and smiled and then she started to leave the room but turned back to him in the doorway before she left. "I'll get your principal on the phone now." She said softly and walked back down the stairs leaving Cartman alone in the room.

"Yes…" He muttered rubbings his hands together. "Yes…YES!" He called.

He ran to his room and pulled out a pen and paper and began to think of the perfect wish, this was his one chance…he can't screw it up.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to all who viewed and reviewed the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one just as much! Its now time for Cartman's wish to come true...**

At school the next morning Kyle, Stan and Kenny sat in their usual seats in front of Mr. Garrison who had only just forced himself out of his seat a few minutes into the lesson and stood facing them all.

"Alright children I decided I'm going to give this one last chance. If I can go through this lesson with no interruptions I will continue to teach you for the rest of the term." He said and looked around the class for any signs of objection or misbehaving. When he realised they were all prepared to listen he turned around and began writing on the board still talking to the class as he wrote.

"Dude where's Cartman this morning? He wasn't on the bus." Stan whispered to Kyle letting Mr. Garrison's important lesson escape to the back of his mind as just a low-pitched moaning.

"Maybe he's tripped and broken his leg." Kyle replied sarcastically.

"Let's hope so." Stan said and the two laughed quietly to themselves.

"Good morning children!" Mr. Mackay called again as he burst into the room leaving Mr. Garrison to stare at him with frustration before slumping back into his seat in defeat.

"I have some excellent news m'ckay! Our new 'Take this wish' programme has already come into use throughout the school!"

"I bet it has." Kyle murmured.

"I have a student with me here who is the first in this class to use the programme so he's going to come to the front now and Mr. Garrison will take control of the programme's help for him. It also means you, as his classmates, have to help this boy through his struggle m'ckay!"

Mr. Mackay stepped aside to allow Cartman to waddle slowly and innocently into the room with his head down; Kyle watched him intently as he walked to the front.

"Jesus, already?" Kenny muffled.

"M'ckay so you know what you're doing Mr. Garrison I'll leave you to it!" Mr. Mackay said and slid out the door again closing it behind him.

Cartman stood at the front with his head down; his red cheeks the only evidence left that proved he had been 'crying' to the councillor, as now he was failing to hold back a smile that he tried desperately to hide from his classmates and there was a familiar glow in his eyes.

Once again Mr. Garrison unenthusiastically dragged himself from his seat and stood next to Cartman at the front.

"Alright Eric myself and the class are here for you in your time of need." He said in a robotic tone like he was repeating word-for-word what he had been told to say. "As part of this programme not only will you get special attention and support from the teachers but you may also grant a wish that we will make come true. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Cartman grinned mischievously.

"Alright then what is your wish?"

With this the whole class leant towards him in excitement, eager to know what he wanted so they could imagine themselves getting it.

"Actually Mr. Garrison, I couldn't decide." He said eventually and the class sat back in disappointment. "So I have written every one I could think of and put them all into this hat." Cartman smiled and held out a large velvet top hat with several folded up pieces of paper inside.

"Woah!" The class muttered in awe but Kyle frowned in frustration.

"Really?" He called aloud and Mr. Garrison shot him a look.

"Listen Kyle this is Eric's time of need and we must be here to support him!" He shouted and took the hat from Cartman.

"Thank you Mr. Garrison." Cartman smiled tauntingly and Kyle rolled his eyes and gave up. He looked to the board at Mr. Garrison's notes and opened up his book to copy them down.

"Dude you don't want to know what he's got?" Stan asked after he watched him do this.

"I don't give a shit." Kyle replied angrily and tried to blank out everything that was happening around him.

"Alright Eric pick a wish." Mr. Garrison said calmly and again the whole class leant forwards eagerly.

Cartman stuck his hand right to the bottom of the hat and began to rummage around amongst the paper. He knew he had to get this just right, all the wishes in the hat were perfect but he had to admit some were better than others and there were definitely a few favourites. He grabbed a piece of paper but continued to rummage a little more for suspense before pulling it out and holding it high in the air for the class to gape at in awe.

Mr. Garrison eventually took it from him and opened it before reading it aloud to the class.

"I wish to have a marshmallow castle built in my garden that every week must be filled to the top with the following: chocolate, jelly beans, gummy bears, chips, honey, cake and cheesy poofs…in any order."

Cartman smiled with glee, it was one of the best. The rest of the class looked as though their jaws had become unhinged and they all sat frozen with their eyes wide except Kyle who was the only kid in the class still moving, writing his notes.

"No, Eric." Mr. Garrison said in the silence making Cartman sharply turn on him.

"What?"

"The school can't afford that and you know it, that one's a little farfetched. Are all your wishes like this one?"

The class sighed in disappointed and Cartman felt himself getting angrier but he kept it bottled. "No." He said through gritted teeth.

"Alright then pick another one." Mr. Garrison said and held out the hat again for him to rummage.

Cartman stared at the hat in anger for a while but when he turned back to the class he noticed he had all eyes on him and they were all so jealous. That cheered him up a bit. There are still plenty of other good wishes! He thought and once again dived his hand to the bottom of the hat unaware that his next wish would change his week for the worse.

He took his time in rummaging through the hat to keep his audience entertained and in suspense until he looked up and saw Mr. Garrison staring at him impatiently so he grabbed the wish his fingers were closest to and pulled it out.

Time seemed to slow as Cartman eagerly waited for Mr. Garrison to open the paper.

First he put the hat back onto the desk making Cartman even more tense and the class weren't much better as many were biting their lips or rubbing their knuckles or pulling on their shirts if they were Tweek.

Kyle however remained looking down at his book only occasionally looking up to see the board behind Cartman's fat head. He knew what was going on but tried his best to ignore it knowing it would only make him more frustrated. Cartman's lies always benefit him at first so this one wouldn't be any different, he could only hope it didn't affect him too much.

Mr. Garrison slowly unfolded the paper and looked up at the class who were practically on top of their desks. He then looked back down and read out Cartman's second wish.

"I wish…"

Cartman bit his lip praying to Jesus it would be a good one.

"I wish…for Kyle Broflovski to be made my personal slave."

"WHAT?" Kyle shrieked in horror after sharply raising his head from his book and the rest of the class gasped in shock and excitement.

"Yeeessssss!" Cartman cheered with glee at the front and Kyle turned his attention to Mr. Garrison.

"No! He can't have that wish!"

"Eric is this really what you want?" Mr. Garrison asked Cartman sceptically.

"Oh yes!" Cartman smiled menacingly and rubbed his hands together.

"Well Kyle as his friend-"

"I'm not his friend!"

"I couldn't give a crap! It's his wish and according to the 'Take this wish' programme if it's within the school's budget he can have it!"

"I am not doing that!"

"If you don't comply young man, it'll be two months detention!"

"You don't understand; nothing in the world would make me work for that fat asshole never mind be his slave!" Kyle shouted back.

"Well then if that's the way you feel, according to the school's rules with this new programme, we will have no choice but to expel you." Mr. Garrison said calmly. "…for uncooperative behaviour."

Kyle's jaw dropped and Cartman couldn't help but burst into fits of laughter. Stan just looked over to him with sympathy feeling helpless for his friend.

"Can't you see that he's clearly faking?" Kyle shouted in desperation as one last chance to get out of this.

"If Eric is faking about his dad Kyle, by all means show him to us." Mr. Garrison said calmly with an expectant look on his face leaving Kyle without a comeback.

All he could do was look over to Cartman who had just finished laughing and was wiping a tear from his eye.

No, this can't be happening. How is it that he always gets what he wants?

"Alright then. The school is taking this new programme very seriously Kyle, its time you did too. Eric, please sit back down." Mr. Garrison said when Kyle didn't answer.

His…slave? His slave? Of all the things Cartman has done or made him do this would surely be the worst…and he is powerless to stop it. Cartman slowly walked past him with a menacing smile and sat at his desk behind him. There's no point in pretending he'll go easy on me, he'll love every minute of this.

Yes! This was just perfect! I totally forget I even put that wish in there! It must've been one of the first ones I wrote, Cartman thought whilst staring at the back of Kyle's head. Oh just you wait Jew, an opportunity like this doesn't come often, and I don't intend on wasting it.

* * *

><p>During the rest of the lesson Kyle could feel Cartman's stare on him from behind like it was burning a hole through his skull. As soon as they stepped out of the classroom he would belong to Cartman. Just the thought of that made him want to throw up and he began to seriously consider expulsion, until the sight of his mother came floating into his head with her fierce eyes and scrunched up face in anger. Then again: a life of eternal misery as long as he lives with his mother…or Cartman's slave? The choice between the two was gradually getting harder to choose from the more he thought of what would happen at recess.<p>

Finally it arrived, the school bell rang out for recess and the class stormed out in excitement, including Cartman. Stan remained seated with Kyle who continued to stare out in front of him lost in his own thoughts like he had been all lesson.

There was a silence between the two, as Stan couldn't think of anything to say.

"Look dude, I-I'm really sorry I mean…maybe he won't be so bad? It's all a joke to him, remember?"

Kyle remained motionless and staring and he would've done all day if Mr. Garrison hadn't stopped him.

"Alright you two get to recess, give me some peace."

Stan jumped off his seat and stood in front of Kyle's desk.

"Come on dude, it's not like you have to face this alone."

Kyle looked down slowly to Stan who smiled at him as he did. This gave him the confidence to slide off his seat but he couldn't manage to smile back, although Stan didn't expect him to. He knew just as well as Kyle that what he had said before was bullshit.

Outside Cartman was stood with Kenny waiting on the yard with a wide smile spread across his face. Kenny was still writing his own list on the dirty piece of scrap paper only now more enthusiastically following Cartman's example.

Kyle sighed heavily and to Stan's surprise his forlorn look had changed to one of pure anger.

"Well well well Kahl, isn't this interesting." Cartman said slowly as Kyle and Stan joined him.

"I don't know who you think you are fatass but you can't just decide when you want to own people you fat fuck!"

"Oh Kahl, I believe I just did." He smiled.

Stan then shared Kyle's anger; not just because of what was happening but because he always seems to get his way one way or another.

"How did you even convince them to give you a wish fatass? You've been dad-less for years!"

Cartman looked at him, although he knew Kyle's stare was still fixed on him, and showed him his wide eyes that he kept open until they began to water and then he clasped his hands together as he rocked from side to side.

"Oh mother I just really wish I had a dad, all my friends have one!" He moaned just as well as he had done last night, this just angered the two further.

"Now then." Cartman said satisfied that he answered Stan's question and turned his attention back to Kyle. "Let's not dwell on the details, the fact is Kahl…you belong to me." He smiled. Kyle continued to give him a threatening look.

"So, I want to make sure we're on the same page here." He started and then placed his hands behind his back and began to pace back and forth in front of him. "You will do everything that I ask of you or I will inform Mr. Mackay and Principal Victoria of your refusal and you will be escorted off the premises, clear?"

Kyle just narrowed his eyes at him and his threatening look intensified.

"So to test your cooperation, and so I can be certain you will do every single petty thing I ask of you, I would first like you to do the following…kneel before me."

Stan eyes shot wide open and Kenny looked up from his list. Their jaws dropped whilst Cartman remained looking into Kyle challengingly who just scrunched his nose up in anger.

"Are you kidding me?" He said now putting all his effort into holding back his anger.

Cartman looked at him with an exaggerated face of confusion. "I'm sorry, what was that Kahl?"

Kyle was now breathing heavily through flared nostrils and grinding his teeth.

"There is no way I am-"

"Well I guess you leave me no choice." Cartman interrupted and slowly turned in the direction of Mr. Mackay who was standing on the yard talking to some of the kindergarteners.

Kyle watched as Cartman slowly exaggerated each step towards the councillor and he began to twitch in anger.

"Cartman this is stupid!" Stan shouted but he wasn't whom Cartman wanted to hear from.

"If Kahl wants to stay here he will do as I say." Cartman said to Stan, but aimed the message at Kyle.

He's loving every second, Kyle thought as Cartman continued to slowly walk away. He'll love it even more if I do it. Every part of Kyle's body was telling him not to but one small section of his conscience that considered it because it thought of the more important things, like his education, his future, his friends at this school…Jesus I sound like my mother! My mother…she would completely disown me if I got expelled. Kyle's mind was torn between utter humiliation and remaining in this school with his friends until the small part of his conscience took up the courage to control his mouth with what appeared to be without Kyle's consent as even he looked surprised to be saying it.

"Cartman!" He called for Cartman to turn back and he did, quickly and excitedly.

Kyle remained looking into his smug and self-satisfied eyes and Cartman got the message that he wouldn't admit it but he would do it. So Cartman stepped back towards him and waited.

Stan looked at him, horrified at the thought that he was going to give in.

"Kyle you-"

Cartman shot his hand up to Stan's mouth. He wasn't going to let anything get in the way of this moment.

Kyle looked from Stan to Kenny, as if looking one last time for a way out, before he stepped his foot forward ready to bend his knees.

Cartman smiled and Kyle stared at him hard. "I hate you so much." He growled then dropped to the floor like a sudden tonne of weight had landed on his back.

Cartman was motionless for a while, like the time he looked at the Thompsons and thought he had blown a funny fuse; but he was soon back to his normal self when the corners of his mouth stretched far to each ear and he was grinning a victorious smile.

"Now repeat after me…I Kyle Broflovski."

Kyle remained looking straight ahead of him at Cartman's feet; seeing his face look up to him from underneath would only fuel his smug sense of victory.

"I Kyle Broflovski." He murmured barely loud enough for any of the three to hear but Cartman was satisfied.

"Do hereby promise…"

"Do hereby promise…" Kyle repeated.

"To do all that I can and everything in my power to serve the almighty Eric Cartman, be it early morning, midnight or during Terrance and Phillip."

Kyle let out a huge sigh in anger so even Stan, standing above him, could see his chest deflate.

"To do all that I can and everything in my power…" Kyle started and then stopped feeling his own self-pride drain away to Cartman's feet. "…to serve the almighty Eric Cartman, be it early morning, midnight or during Terrance and Phillip."

"Good, you are officially my propertah."

**A/N: Please review if you think its any good! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you so so so so so so much once again to all who reviewed! It REALLY means a lot! And since you like it so much, here's another chapter ;)...**

Throughout the rest of recess Cartman continued to make Kyle do pointless tasks as simple as talking for him, tying his shoes and fetching the ball whenever he threw it.

Of course Kyle objected to every task with fury, realising how pathetic each command was and that Cartman was only ordering them for the sake of it, but Cartman presented the same threat to him whenever he did so eventually he began to get less and less resistant.

When the bell rang out for the end of recess there was the routine sigh of disappointment among the yard but Kyle sighed with relief. At least he wouldn't have to do any more of Cartman's crap in the lesson…that's if Cartman didn't tell him to.

The whole school marched slowly and unenthusiastically back inside but Cartman walked on ahead of the three much to their surprise.

In the corridor Stan took the opportunity to say something to Kyle, since Cartman had taken up the rest of his time at recess.

"Look dude this can't get any worse. I know it sucks now but he's just being a dick again. Nothing we haven't seen before."

Stan had also been objecting to Cartman's orders during recess and Kyle was grateful although he couldn't show it now as all thoughts other than that of his anger were unfocused in a steamy fog from the rage bubbling inside him.

He's done it, he's got the upper hand and I can't do anything about it. Kyle thought, as he remained staring ahead. He's trapped me in a corner and knows my weaknesses. He's planned this.

Stan wasn't even sure if Kyle had heard him and so watched him expectantly for a reassuring reply but then turned away disappointedly when he didn't get one. Kyle saw him do this out of the corner of his eye and sighed.

"I'm sorry Stan. I know you're just trying to help but nothing in this world right now can get rid of the thoughts in my head of just kicking the crap out of that fat asshole."

Stan nodded in agreement and eventually the crowded corridor became just the remaining few who were still on the way to their class.

As they approached their classroom, the boys stopped when they saw Cartman standing outside watching people walk in.

"Oh no." Kyle moaned.

"Gentlemen, step inside." Cartman smiled at Stan and Kenny who narrowed their eyes at him.

"We're not your slaves, fatass!" Stan snapped in anger.

Cartman rolled his eyes impatiently. "…Please?"

But Stan and Kenny remained fixed next to Kyle's side.

"Boys, get your asses in here I want to start the lesson!" Mr. Garrison called from in the classroom making Cartman smile smugly at them.

They started to walk into the classroom one at a time, keeping an eye on Cartman as they did but he proved there was no need as he did nothing but innocently watch them, it was not them he wanted.

"Ah, not you Kahl." Cartman said stopping Kyle before he could follow Stan and Kenny by stretching out his arm across the doorway to block his way.

Kyle looked at him with the same face of irritation he had been giving him all day, although he expected something like this to happen.

"I would like you to do something for me." Cartman said lowering his head and smiling up at him menacingly.

Mr. Garrison had started talking about some pointless lesson he was writing on the board when Cartman walked in innocently, without Kyle.

"Sit down Eric." Mr. Garrison said turning slightly to see him waddle in.

Stan also watched him do this and turned to Kenny sharply who returned the look of worry.

A few minutes later Kyle walked in unenthusiastically towards the front; Stan kept his gaze on him as he did.

"Kyle you're late, hurry up and sit down." Mr. Garrison said calmly.

"Actually Mr. Garrison, I'm late because Principal Victoria stopped me in the corridor and she wanted me to tell you to report to her office immediately."

Stan watched him hard as he said this; he knew he was lying. He had known him for long enough that it was getting easy to tell but of course Mr. Garrison didn't.

"Oh, well I'm in the middle of teaching, I'm sure she meant later in the day."

Kyle stopped, after sighing heavily he looked among the desks for Cartman, who slowly nodded at him, before he turned back to Mr. Garrison.

"No, she said it would only be for a few minutes." He said calmly and Mr. Garrison shrugged before placing down the chalk and walking to the door, leaning back into the classroom with his hand still on the door handle before he left.

"Alright children I'll only be a few minutes so just copy down the notes and I'll be back shortly." He said and then left the room.

The class went deadly still, like the silence before a storm, as they all watched and waited for the click on the door after its slow creaking fall, that it never usually seemed to do, that would certify their freedom.

Eventually it clicked quietly and pathetically in contrast to its triumphant build up but the noise in the classroom rose dramatically at its presence.

They all began to talk and shout amongst themselves and to people on the other side of the room; some even got out of their seats to talk to others and throw paper aeroplanes, whilst others ran around to catch them. Butters got out of his seat and hurried to the door to reclaim his usual position as 'watcher for the teacher'

Stan watched everyone do this but remained in his seat, turning back to Kyle who was still stood at the front.

Kyle felt his concerned gaze on him but he ignored it and shouted to Cartman.

"Well, what now fatass?"

One by one the class fell silent and turned to Cartman at the realisation that it was all down to him; and he never half-heartedly leaves a plan unfinished.

Cartman was proud of the sudden attention and remained in his seat with his feet on his desk and his arms behind his head.

"Well done Jew, you used your powers of good nature to fool the teacher…that's one sin closer to hell!" He mocked.

Kyle didn't even react to this as he expected a comment of something along those lines so instead remained looking at him impatiently.

Cartman casually got up out of his seat and strolled to the front of the classroom. He then ignored Kyle's stares as he walked past him and heaved himself up onto Mr. Garrison's chair much to the surprise of the class who let out a gasp of shock and excitement.

"I have something special planned Kahl, which is why of course I want all our fellow classmates to be witnesses."

At this the class began to whisper amongst themselves, trying to guess what he would make Kyle do, what would be the most humiliating.

Cartman then leaned over the desk and stretched his hands out to reach for a pen in one of Mr. Garrisons' stationary holders but ended up stroking it with the tip of his fingers for a while first as it was just out of reach. He then ripped a piece of paper from a pad on the desk and began scribbling something down as the class stretched up and leant forwards out of their chairs, desperately attempting to read what he was writing.

Eventually he handed the paper over to Kyle.

"Read it…out loud."

Kyle looked at him in confusion and then quickly skimmed over the lines of writing on the paper.

The class could tell from his reaction that it was bad as Kyle's face gradually scrunched up further in anger the more he read.

"No way!" He shouted after pulling his eyes from the paper. "There is no way I am reading this asshole!"

"What does it say?" Clyde shouted from the back.

Kyle turned to the whole class only just remembering he had an audience. Each face was smiling in anticipation of his humiliation but one at the front, Stan's.

"He wants me to say a bunch of crap about the Jews." Kyle said but remained looking at Stan as if he was only talking to him.

Once again the quiet murmured hum of the class talking amongst themselves grew with the occasional laugh and smiles were painted on every face. Stan just looked helplessly into Kyle's eyes as he stared; there was nothing he could do.

"Hmm, well what would be worse I wonder?" Cartman started making all go silent again. "Kyle's mom hearing that Kyle _supposedly_ ripped off the Jews to his class, which is highly unlikely she'll even believe, or Kyle coming home from school today and having to inform his mother that he would not be returning the next morning…or ever, for un-cooperative behaviour towards a sick child." He said looking around at the class as if asking for their opinion.

Kyle looked down again at the paper breaking the stare between him and Stan. He should've seen this one coming. If it was the other way round and he was in charge of Cartman the first thing he would make him do is apologise for all the crap he gives the Jews, of course Cartman would do the opposite.

He managed to ignore the silence of the class and the stares of both Stan and Cartman as he read over again what he was expected to say. His mother would ground him for months if she knew he was saying this, but she won't find out whereas there's no way he could hide expulsion from her.

He stopped for a while and looked up to Cartman who was still smiling that stupid smile of his. This isn't about my mother! It's about my religion! And I shouldn't let some racist, self-satisfied, hypocritical fat boy force me to do something against that!

"Hey fellas! I see Mr. Garrison again! I-I think he's stopped on the corner at the end of the corridor!" Butters called from the door and everyone who was out of their seats suddenly hurried back and the sound of scraping chairs against the floor rose up in the scramble, everyone apart from Kyle and Cartman who remained at the front.

"Well Kahl?" Cartman smiled.

There was a silence from everyone in the class as they all waited to see what Kyle would do. Butters fidgeted on the spot flicking between checking outside and watching Kyle, as everyone wanted to see who would come out on top.

Kyle himself was torn between what to do. Throw the paper back in Cartman's face, tell him to f*ck off, keep his pride in his own religion but deal with the wrath of his mother and be separated from his true friends. Or say the damn thing and fall to Cartman's demands like the slave he was expected to be.

"I think he's gonna start walking back any minute now!" Butters called nervously whilst knocking his thumbs together.

Every time he has ever fought against Cartman's insufferable comments at the Jews will have been a complete waste if he says this. Cartman would win.

"Yeah he's definitely gonna start walking back in a minute!"

"In your own time Jew." Cartman said as he jumped off Mr. Garrison's seat and walked past him back to his desk, leaving Kyle alone at the front.

Kyle took one last look at Stan who was now shaking his head, urging him to do what he knew was right.

But no matter how strong Kyle was, he wasn't that strong and they both knew it.

Kyle's body remained stuck solid because all he needed now were his thoughts, his morals, but even they were starting to desert him.

Remaining still, he slowly rolled his eyes down to the paper in front of him.

**A/N: Will Kyle read it out? Find out in the next chapter! And I**** would really appreciate reviews! They really encourage me to write more! Thank you to all keeping up with the story! :D:D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you once again to all who are following and enjoying the story, it really means a lot! I hope you enjoy the next chapter! :D**

Kyle looked down at the paper in front of him not daring to look into the eyes of his grinning audience and especially not at Stan or Cartman. Seeing the victorious pride from one and the disappointment form the other would put him off completely.

"All th-the Jews…" He stammered. "All the Jews…live up to the stereotypes. Jews are greedy…a-and fussy…misers." Kyle said wrenching out each word like it caused him physical pain as it slid out of his mouth whilst Cartman silently muttered every word with him.

"Oh jees!" Butters squealed on seeing Mr. Garrison walking back towards them and let the door shut behind him as fluttered back to his seat.

Kyle watched him do this from the corner of his eye but remained looking at the paper. He read the next line, which were some more lies about his religion…about him and it made him feel sick, with anger. Anger because he was letting it come from his own mouth.

His head remained still but his eyes decided to roll up to the class and look around at them. They were staring with grinning faces and wide eyes and Cartman sat smiling cunningly, waiting expectantly for the rest but Stan sat with a stare that seemed to shoot straight through him making him feel a guilt he already knew he had.

Just as Kyle's eyes rolled back down onto the paper Mr. Garrison swung open the door making everyone jump back in surprise, breaking them from their suspended excitement.

"Well children, it would appear that Principal Victoria didn't need me at all!" He said as he marched back into the room but stopped when he saw Kyle standing at the front.

"Very funny Kyle! I'm sure you've all had a nice little joke in here whilst I've been gone."

Kyle looked up at him relieved that he had cut his speech short whilst Cartman sat back disappointed and frustrated.

"You can sit down now you little trouble maker." Mr. Garrison said as he picked up the chalk from his desk. "I'll pick up from where we left off."

Although Cartman didn't do or say anything for the rest of the lesson, Kyle knew he was angered by his failed plan and now he would almost certainly be planning something new.

At just two minutes to lunch Kyle kept a strong fixed stare on the clock's quickly spinning second hand, almost silently pleading for it to slow down.

Stan looked over to him from his work and noticed his distracted glare, so followed his eyeline until he too was watching the clock. He knew what Kyle was doing and so when he looked back to him he started to say something but realised he didn't know what; so his mouth hung open for a while ready for anything that would come to mind but he thought of nothing. Defeated he let out a sigh and looked back down to his work.

Kyle heard him do this and his eyes dared to turn away from the clock for a few seconds to look at him and then back up just in time to see the second hand reach the top.

The routine ringing screeched from the bell stuck on the wall of the classroom above the door. All the student's faces lit up as they jammed their books back into their bags and pushed their way out of the door even as Mr. Garrison tried to call them back to finish writing.

Cartman left the room behind Kenny, Kyle and Stan for the first time that day and managed to stay quiet until they were all out of the classroom.

"Well, I can't say I'm not dissapointed about that Kahl." He called from the back of the single-file line they were walking in. "It'll take a while before we can trick Mr. Garrison into leaving the room again." He continued when they were all walking as a group again down the corridor.

Kyle's fists tensed by his side but he refused to look at Cartman.

"Never mind, we can fit the rest of that order in another day, since I won't be getting over my emotional trauma anytime soon." Cartman smiled.

This made Kyle stop dead in his tracks, his eyes widenened and he stared straight ahead, motionless.

Cartman continued to walk ahead with a stretching smile and Kenny, who was distracted by his wish list again, walked with him. Stan however stopped with Kyle a few steps ahead and looked back in surprise at his sudden stop.

"I never even thought of that, dude." Kyle started. "How long can this go on?"

"The school won't make you do it forever, dude."

Kyle dropped his head in thought. No one could reassure him of the stinging thought that he would be doing this for a very long time; not even his super best friend Stan. Anything Cartman wants he gets so if Cartman wants this to go on, it will; and that thought made him feel hopeless yet shake with uncontrollable anger.

"Come come, Kahl!" Cartman shouted from over his shoulder ahead of them and then turned back around to face him. "You can get my lunch for me!" He said and stood waiting for him.

Kyle stayed still for a while, refusing to move, as if asserting the little power he had left and stared at the fatass through narrowed eyes. But he knew he couldn't stand there forever and so eventually stepped forwards with Stan following close behind, watching him with concern.

"Get me my usual." Cartman said tauntingly as Kyle shoved past him into the cafeteria.

Stan and Kenny followed Kyle in, after parting with Cartman and his insufferable smug smile, where the three of them went to collect their lunch leaving Cartman to sit at their table on his own, unable to get rid of his smile. Stan was sure he saw a few kids pass and congratulate him, but he didn't tell Kyle this.

Kyle was balancing two trays out in front of him staring at the floor in silence. He had begun to think about what Cartman made him say in class and it meant those same feelings he had whilst standing at the front had flooded back and were filling him with guilt and anger. All this time he had been fighting against Cartman for the crap that came out of his mouth and now the asshole had forced it out of his own.

Stan looked at him sympathetically as he had been doing all day, sensing they were thinking about the same thing. But this time he really dug around his thoughts for something useful to say.

"Look dude, you didn't do what he told you to. There will always be a way around what he says, and if there isn't we'll find one."

Kyle looked back at Stan as if he didn't understand, couldn't understand what he had done. "I started saying it Stan. I said those first few lines and I-"

"But you didn't finish it!" Stan cut in positively but Kyle just looked down and sighed.

"…I was going to…I feel so God damn angry at myself and I hate myself for saying it but…if Mr. Garrison hadn't have walked in…I was going to."

"But you didn't and you won't."

Kyle sighed, frustrated that Stan still didn't understand. He looked up again and opened his mouth to say something else but Stan interrupted.

"You're not fighting a battle on your own here Kyle." He said calmly with a smile.

That smile made Kyle feel a little more confident and he returned Stan's smile with a small one of his own but when he turned back and saw the two trays in his hands he sighed again and his smile dropped.

Once they had got their food they carried it back to the table with Kyle only just managing to watch both trays at the same time as the food on each slid dangerously from side to side with each step.

He finally dropped Cartman's down in front of him who was sitting smugly with his hands behind his head again. "What took you so long?"

Kyle shot him a quick glare and then looked back down at his own food as Cartman looked down at his.

"Oh no wait Kahl I'm afraid you've forgotten something."

Kyle paused and rolled his eyes up to Cartman.

"Yes, there looks to me to be only one pudding here."

"So?"

"So I'm feeling hungry today, get me another."

"I can't just get you another you greedy bastard! We only ever get one serving!"

"Well then you're just gonna have to put on your sweetest smile and persuade them!"

Kyle stared at him hard, rubbing his thumbs against his knuckles to stop himself from errupting.

"Get it yourself you lazy asshole!"

"Now now that's not the right attitude when talking to your master." Cartman said slyly and bowed his head slightly to look up at him, just waiting for the explosion of anger that he loved, it meant he had done his job right.

"Master? Oh no Cartman, there is no way that I'm calling you-"

"Oh Mr. Mackay!" Cartman interrupted, throwing his head back and calling behind him for the councilor on the other side of the cafeteria.

Kyle watched as Mr. Mackay looked up and started to walk towards them. Once he knew the councillor was coming, Cartman turned back and sat facing Kyle with a smile waiting for him to stand down; but he resisted and sat still for a while, once again trying to keep hold of whatever authority he had left. But as Mr. Mackay stepped closer he realised it had all gone the moment Cartman wished for it to.

"Alright!" He shouted and thumped his fists down on the table in anger before marching back to Chef.

Cartman watched him leave just as Mr. Mackay appeared behind him.

"Is everything ok here Eric?"

"Oh yes fine now Mr. Mackay." He said sweetly.

"And are you feeling ok today m'ckay?"

Cartman shot him a puzzled expression. "Yes, why the hell wouldn't I-?" He started and then suddenly remembered the answer Mr. Mackay was expecting and his eyes grew wide hoping it wasn't too late to cut in. "Oh, no, I mean, I'm still feeling distraught and messed up about my troubles Mr. Mackay." He said bluntly but with a sorrowful face that Mr. Mackay believed every time, they all do.

"M'ckay." He said sympathetically. "Well you know where I am if you ever need me." And then he headed back to his office.

Stan watched Mr. Mackay closely and waited until he could say something without catching his attention again.

"Alright Cartman, don't you think this has gone far enough?"

Cartman purposely remained watching Mr. Macaky for a while before turning back to him.

"Oh Stan, it's only a game. Its only ever been a game."

"Yeah? Well don't you think you're breaking the rules a little?"

"I don't break the rules; I bend them in my favour."

"Whatever! I just think it's time you gave up on this Kyle slave thing!"

Cartman leant forwards slightly and looked into Stan's eyes, recognising his sudden attempt at raising his authority, and prepared himself to effortlessly push it down again.

"Stan, perhaps you don't realise what is going on here. This could so easily result in check-mate. The final few rolls of the dice and Kahl is exactly where I want him. I nearly had it this morning! There is no way I'm giving up now."

Stan frowned and gave him a threatening look. "That wasn't funny Cartman! You can't just make Kyle say that crap he-"

"Why not Stan? Last I heard this whole situation was set up by the school. They're all on my side; the side of the poor little sick kid, don't forget."

"This isn't a game fatass! If you continue this slave thing-"

"I'll win." Cartman finished for him and a smile slowly stretched to either side of his mouth.

It really is all a game to him…and he was right, he would win. Stan thought. He's really going to push Kyle to breaking point until he waves the white flag and Cartman will never let him live it down.

Stan stared at him in disbelief until Kyle returned, empty handed, and explained the obvious to Cartman.

"Oh well, I guess you'll have to give me yours." Cartman replied.

"Screw it, take the damn pudding!" Kyle shouted, grabbing his pudding and throwing it down onto Cartman's tray in anger before marching away, fists tensed by his sides.

He was shortly followed by Stan who quickly jumped off his seat and desperately tried to catch up with him through the crowded lunch cafeteria.

Cartman just sat and watched them both do this. His grinning smug smile slowly fell to a pissed-off straight line and his eyelids dropped from their position of wide eyed joy.

Sitting next to Cartman, Kenny hadn't even realised any argument had taken place as he was still frantically writing ideas down on a piece of dirty scrap paper that was now filled with multiple random scribbles.

"I got it!" He called in excitement as he finished and finally released his eyes from the paper. But he didn't look around enough to notice the other two were missing until he observed Cartman's blank face that was subtley hiding his frustration inside. But Kenny knew him well enough to tell when he was pissed off and he observed his blank, tense face before quickly turning to see what he was staring at just in time to see Stan and Kyle disappear from sight out of the cafeteria.

"Where are they going?" He asked in confusion.

Cartman remained still, and his eyes narrowed and stared hard at the spot he last saw Kyle and Stan.

"Dude, where are you going?" Stan asked when he caught up to Kyle.

"He may have permission to command me." Kyle started his tense fists clenching tighter as he said those words. "But I can't follow orders if I can't hear them."

Cartman remained seated ingnoring Kenny's questions comepletely. He can tell Kahl to do whatever he wants, but he can't stop him from running. Then again if that's his idea of a plan, he has gravely underestimated his opponent, once again.

"Oh Kahl." He muttered to himself. "You really think it's that easy?"

**A/N: :O Yes my friends...it can get worse for Kyle :P If you like the story please review! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you again to those keeping up with the story and I love to hear you're enjoying it! Hope you like the next chapter!**

Stan and Kyle wanted to be on their own for the rest of lunch and to their surprise it stayed that way with no interruptions. They stood in the corridor to avoid Cartman, knowing he would probably end up outside after his double helping of pudding.

"I can't wait to just get out of here and away from that fat dick." Kyle grumbled. His anger had been slowly leaving him the longer he spent with Stan.

"He just thinks he can win all the time but he doesn't think of everything dude, all we had to do was walk away from him!" Stan laughed.

Kyle laughed with him but deep inside he had doubts, through his experience with Cartman he knows he doesn't leave anything left out or not thought of and when he looked over to Stan he could tell he secretly thought the same.

However the longer they were able to stay alone the safer Kyle felt; if Cartman was going to do something surely he would've done it by now.

In fact it wasn't until the last few minutes of lunch that the two suddenly became not so alone.

The speaker above them, and all around the school, began to fuzz and vibrate and the majority of kids groaned in expectation of anther one of Mackay's or Principal Victoria's speeches.

"M'ckay students, we have a message for you all from one of our own students who is being given special treatment from the 'Take this wish' programme m'ckay."

Stan and Kyle watched the speaker intently, fearing the worst, until they heard the voice they immediately recognised.

"Attention all students…this is Eric Cartman."

"Oh no." Kyle groaned and dropped his head into his hands.

"As some of you may know I have in my power a student named Kyle Broflovski. For those of you who have only heard the rumours, it is true that he has to do anything I command."

Kyle slowly looked up again to the closest speaker, his whole face scrunched up with rage.

"Oh but don't groan and grumble students, I am not doing this announcement to show off or anything petty like that, no because I was always taught…to share." He said dragging out the last word. "Yes students I, owner of Kyle Broflovski, do hereby command him to follow each and every order of every student in the school who gives him one." He said slowly and sinisterly.

Kyle remained focused on the speaker but his eye began to twitch the harder he stared and his whole body began to shake with rage. He could picture Cartman's self-satisfied smile in front of him that he knew he would be pulling.

Stan was also staring up at the speaker in disbelief but then became distracted by the people who had been standing in the corridor with them. In the corner of his eye he could see that they were now paying particular attention to Kyle. They started to whisper to each other, trying to confirm who the boy in the green hat was and if he was the right person, never taking their eyes off him.

They now received Stan's full attention and he looked warily around at them before leaning subtly over to Kyle.

"Urm…Kyle?" He whispered but Kyle refused to take notice of him and continued to look up to the speaker.

"Oh and Kahl…I know you're listening to this too so please don't let me hear complaints from people because you didn't do as you were asked." Cartman continued. "Or else we shall have to be having words with the councilor and of course the principal."

"Kyle?" Stan whispered again as more and more students appeared around them like a pack of stalking animals, never taking their eyes of the prey, but keeping their distance as if weighing up their opponent.

"Then again you may not have to do any commands at all...if you 'don't hear them' because you've returned to me quick enough. I'll be waiting on the yard." Cartman's voice continued to echo.

Stan looked at the students that appeared from around all corners and through all doors all muttering amongst themselves trying to confirm who Kyle was.

"Start running." Cartman finished and there was a click, as the microphone switched off and complete silence hung over the school corridors.

"Kyle, I think we should move." Stan whispered again.

But Kyle remained looking up at the speaker, rage visible on every part of his body. He was breathing heavily making his chest rise and fall and he was clenching his teeth hard.

How does he do it? How does he always find a way to win?

Every single pair of eyes in the newly forming crowd was on both Stan and Kyle waiting for one of them to slip up and reveal who was their target. Those at the back were slowly edging closer to the front step by step but those at the front stopped, as if there was an invisible force between them and Kyle that stopped them moving forward but the top halves of their body were still too eager and leant forward over their feet.

"Kyle?"

Kyle remained still until his focus was broken when without warning one of the kids confidently burst through the crowd.

"Hey Kyle Broflovski!" He shouted and Stan turned to him sharply, followed by Kyle who slowly turned only just noticing his audience. "If it is you, I command you to say so!"

Kyle and Stan slowly turned to each other and then looked around them, they were surrounded. Eager eyes were staring in anticipation and every body was perfectly still but tense like a panther's ready to pounce.

Every one of Stan's movements became slow and calculated as if the slightest wrong move could cause a sudden ambush. He looked to his right and found a small gap not engulfed by beady eyed awaiting kids and after noting it he turned to Kyle and tightly clasped his hand around the end of Kyle's sleeve at his wrist.

Kyle looked down at his crumpled sleeve that Stan was firmly gripping and then back up at Stan who slowly started to nod. Trusting Stan completely with whatever plan he had, Kyle turned back to the kid in front of him who was noticeably smaller but looked up at him challengingly.

Stan tightened his grip that little bit more as Kyle opened his mouth to follow the order and before he even had time to finish the word: yes, Stan pulled them both forward, dragging Kyle towards the gap he had noticed, seconds before the crowd surged forwards towards them shouting and screaming their commands.

He pulled Kyle through the gap just before it closed and then let go of him when they both realised it would be quicker for Kyle to run without him.

As they ran they could hear random parts of humiliating, pathetic orders behind them but didn't dare turn around to see how close they were in fear of slowing and being trampled. The words they managed to pick from what was being called were about doing homework, eating something disgusting, putting some girl's make-up on and worse.

As they sped around the closest corner they fell right into the path of another smaller group of humiliation-seeking excited kids causing the two to a forced halt, almost falling forward over their feet.

Luckily they hadn't been noticed so the smaller group continued to frantically look around them for Kyle like scurrying hungry rodents with wide eyes and beaming anticipating smiles.

"How many people heard that announcement?" Kyle shrieked.

"Come on!" Stan called and led the way by sharply turning and running in the other direction quickly followed by Kyle.

But this caught the attention of the new group who all turned their heads to them like they never really expected to find him and one member at the front flicked out their arm, strongly pointing a finger at Kyle.

"That's him!"

As they surged forward they merged with the first group who had just turned the corner and soon Stan and Kyle had a whole herd of stampeding children after them, shouting over each other.

The two ran with immense determination, their arms flinging up and down by their sides, behind them the crowd was getting either closer or just bigger as the shouts of random orders grew louder and louder.

They sped around another corner but Stan quickly noticed a door left ajar and immediately dived through it, pulling Kyle in with him who let out a small shriek in shock as he did this.

After quickly scrambling up from their dive they stuck themselves to the inside wall of the room like a magnet and remained perfectly still and flat against it with their chests being the only part of their body daring to move as they breathed heavily.

The sound of the chasing herd of kids speeding past the door from outside made them realise just how close they all were behind as it only reached them seconds after they dived and it took noticeably longer for the sound to fade away.

For a while the two stood as if uncertain to move, fearing the sounds of the ambush growing louder again if they made the slightest sound but Kyle eventually turned his head to Stan slowly still taking in gasps of air.

"Dude, the whole school must've heard that." He said and took the courage to step away from the wall. "And now they're _all_ after me!"

Stan also stepped off the wall and looked around him nervously. Luckily for them they had landed in the boy's toilets as another meter or so and they would've been in the girl's. Stan checked around him but it appeared to be empty, everyone was probably out looking for Kyle.

"That son-of-a-bitch." Kyle muttered.

"Look dude, all we have to do is get back to Cartman. He said he'd stop all this if we did, I think he said he was on the yard-"

"Back to Cartman? Are you kidding! That just proves he's won! Proves he always wins!"

"Well right now we don't have any other option."

Kyle remained still; he knew Stan was right but he didn't want to believe it and frantically searched his head for ideas.

"You're gonna have to make a decision." Stan said again after the silence. "Be under the command of the entire school…or just Cartman."

Kyle didn't move, honestly trying to decide which was better. Cartman could be, and is, total hell without authority who would stop at nothing to completely humiliate and flatten him into the dirt, but with authority…Kyle knew that there would be more and worse things in store for him if he goes back. On the other hand there's the entire school. The more he thought about what each would make him do the more he began to seriously consider standing in the corridor and calling back the hungry herd.

"Dude, really?" Stan said in the silence, shocked that he even had to consider the two. "Sure Cartman won't make it easy for you but the whole school? Dude that has girls in it and kindergarteners! I'm sure you've got through the worst with Cartman."

Kyle thought again and Stan was right about the school, but he was far from the point of believing Cartman had done his worst.

"Okay." Kyle said eventually. "So what are we gonna do now? How can we get to the yard when everyone in the school is looking for me?"

Stan looked away from Kyle and at the floor in thought, Kyle also fell silent trying to come up with a plan when something interrupted their focus.

One of the toilets in the cubicles flushed followed by the sound of the damaged plastic lock sliding open.

Kyle and Stan quickly turned to the cubicle with wide eyes and watched it closely.

A hand was resting flat on the door as it was pushed open and Butters emerged with his other hand doing up the zip on his trousers.

"Well, hey fellas!"

"Butters, how long have you been here?" Stan cried.

"Ah, not long I guess."

"Have you heard the announcement?" Kyle asked nervously.

"Well gee everyone has. Only you don't need to worry about me, my favouritest wish in the world would be to have a puppy and only my parents can give me that."

Stan and Kyle continued to watch him closely as he walked towards the wash basins and rubbed his hands under the streaming water. Once satisfied that he wouldn't do anything they turned back to each other and continued to think.

"Dude, there's only one thing for it." Stan said eventually. "We're just gonna have to run. The crowd will be far in the other direction by now."

Kyle thought for a few seconds longer, thinking of every other possibility but he agreed it was their only option.

"Alright."

The two crept towards the door, once again under the illusion that the slightest sound would give away their location. Stan gripped the door handle and barely pulled it wide enough to peer out; the corridor was empty. He leant back inside and nodded silently at Kyle who vigorously nodded his head in return, trying to convince them both he was confident. Then he too made his way to the door and stood close to Stan as he was ready to launch it open.

"Oh well wait a minute fellas!" Butters called from behind them, breaking their concentration and making them turn back to him in annoyance.

"What Butters?" Kyle asked impatiently.

"Well I was just thinking before you go…" Butters stammered as he walked towards them, knocking his thumbs together. "Well I mean an opportunity like this doesn't come often…"

Kyle rolled his eyes and stood waiting, knowing what Butters was getting at. Stan also sighed and dropped his shoulders but then his eyes widened and heart stopped when he once again heard the stampeding feet of the crowds after Kyle. Opening it as little as possible, he threw his head sharply around the door to hear the calls of the crowd as they marched back to where they had last seen Kyle.

"Dude!" He warned Kyle after sliding his head back into the room.

Kyle matched Stan's face of wide-eyed fear and the two prepared themselves once again to leave but were once again interrupted.

"Wait Kyle!" Butters called again from behind them and Kyle stopped and turned to him angrily.

"Butters!"

Butters coiled again nervously with an apologetic look on his face but then a small snigger grew across it. "Oh yeah, sorry I forget you take that literally."

"Butters!" Stan called impatiently even louder, hearing the calls outside gradually getting louder.

"Urm Kyle, if you wouldn't mind before you go…could you please…maybe possibly…"

"Butters!" Stan and Kyle both shouted together.

"Could you please give me a high-five?" He blurted quickly and shot his hand up whilst squinting his eyes shut.

Kyle and Stan turned to each other slowly with one corner of their upper lip raised.

"Seriously Butters?" Stan said in disbelief. "Of all the things you could ask Kyle for and you-"

"Alright, alright!" Kyle interrupted before Stan gave him any ideas and hurriedly slapped Butters' raised palm with his own and then pulled Stan to the door again and the looming sound of the crowds outside.

Once again Stan slowly opened the door but was then pushed out by a desperate Kyle behind him and the two ran back outside leaving Butters on his own clutching his hand in awe.

Just seconds after Kyle and Stan sped out of the toilets the crowd behind them, now even bigger, emerged from around the corner like a swarm of deadly insects and sped after the two.

"Dude are we gonna make it to the yard?" Kyle shouted.

"We've got to keep running. If you stop you'll be able to hear all their commands and then you'll have to follow them!"

With this thought the two ran faster and once again they could just pick out random demeaning tasks from the crowd of immature humiliation-seekers behind them.

After dodging a few more twists and turns of the school corridors they were beginning to run in circles and it wouldn't be long before they were cut off or exhausted.

One kid at the back of the crowd noticed the pattern they were following and stopped as the rest continued ahead. He hid behind a column of lockers and waited patiently until Stan sped past him when he jumped out in front of Kyle and shouted:

"Stop, Kyle!"

Kyle froze, almost falling forward over his feet again, not just because he was commanded to but because otherwise he would've crashed straight into the kid. He looked forward helplessly to Stan who had continued to run, unaware that Kyle had stopped, and then frantically looked behind him to see the crowd getting closer and closer with every second wasted.

"Alright kid listen to me, I'll follow your order okay! Just make it quick and let me go!" He pleaded after turning his attention back from the crowd.

But the boy didn't move. He stood with a smile that slowly spread across his face that reminded Kyle too much of Cartman's.

Kyle turned back again to see the crowd but it was too late and they now engulfed the space around him like locusts on crop. He was surrounded.

**A/N: Please let me know what you think of the story! Really encourages me to continue Thank you again to all who are following and reviewing, it really makes my day so read what you think and I appreciate you reading when I update! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Good piont made by SouthParkFan8 in my last chapter but where's the fun in that? :P Hope you enjoy finding out what happens to Kyle next…**

Kyle only had two seconds to think about what to do next but that wasn't enough and his logical thinking mind was in a tornado of rage, fear and confusion. He just stood surrounded in an eery silence of smiling faces before the shouts rose up again and almost deafened him.

The kid who stopped him stayed still and silent, still smiling like watching Kyle now was his wish.

Kyle couldn't follow any orders as he couldn't hear any specific one and so just looked desperately around him squinting his eyes and cowering slightly.

One of the kids realised this problem and stepped forward for Kyle to hear his command over the rest.

"Hey, Kyle! Tie your shoe laces tightly together, and leave them like that all day!" He laughed and Kyle, on hearing this one and only order, looked down at his shoes and then sharply back up at the kid.

"Seriously?" He called but the boy remained with a proud smiling face so Kyle slowly bent down to his shoes.

Other kids in the crowd watched the boy who had jumped forward and how Kyle followed his command over their own and their eyes opened wide with glee. They stepped forward to do the same but with everyone attempting this at once, the whole crowd just shifted inwards. The surrounding space around Kyle got smaller and smaller as every single kid was desperate to be at the front, enclosing Kyle in an ever tighter gap.

He looked up from untying his shoes but fell back on himself in shock at everyone now being practically on top of him. He attempted to spin around to try and predict who would crush him first and maybe stop them but he was forced to remain on the floor.

As the crowd was ready to engulf him completely he gave up and brought his knees into his chest, covering his head with his hands.

"Alright, alright that's enough!" Came a booming voice above the rest and the crowd gradually fell silent beginning at the edge with the source of the voice and then spreading to all corners of the crowd until they were quietly muttering amongst themselves.

Kyle lifted his head to see a path being parted amongst the mass in front of him until a little yellow bobble on top of a blue hat was just visible.

Cartman emerged from the crowd with Stan and Kenny following closely behind. He stepped in front of Kyle, facing away from him to address the crowd.

"Alright show's over folks. I command Kahl to do exactly what I say and no one else."

The crowd let out a synchronised moan like dissappointed children walking away from the end of a circus. Kyle looked up at him from the floor, once again feeling like the lower slave he was forced to become.

Once most of the crowd had left the corridor Cartman spoke to Kyle over his shoulder still not turning back.

"You of all people Kahl should know it's never that easy."

Kyle remained speechless looking up to Cartman through enflamed eyes. He rose suddenly and grabbed Cartman's shoulders quickly spinning him around, forcing him to face him.

"You bastard! That wasn't funny!"

"Who's laughing?"

"Don't do that again!" Kyle threatened through gritted teeth.

"Don't run again." Cartman said more sincerely and Kyle loosened his grip on his shoulders. "You owe me for this one."

"I owe you?" Kyle shouted. "This doesn't even make us close to being _even_."

"You're right. But don't be too hard on yourself you still have a chance to improve." Cartman said sarcastically and Kyle growled in anger and tightened his grip on the fabric above Cartman's shoulders; he launched forward and rammed Cartman's back against the lockers.

"Kyle!" Stan cried.

"Ow! That hurt you stupid Jew!" Cartman groaned in anger.

This angered Kyle further and he was about to threaten Cartman again when Mr. Mackay stepped out of his nearby office hearing the previous commotion.

"Is there a problem here m'ckay?"

Kyle looked at the councilor, still gripping the fatass threateningly but Cartman just looked up at Mr. Mackay and smiled before turning slowly back to Kyle.

"No problem Mr. Mackay…unless Kahl has something to say?"

Kyle watched Cartman out of the corner of his eye and realised he had once again been thrown into a corner by him. He stood motionless for a while searching for a way out of checkmate, but he was trapped and had to swallow his anger quickly.

He stared at the floor to avoid everyone's gaze as his hands reluctantly released Cartman and slid back to his sides.

"Well good, now you boys better get to class m'ckay. I expected better from you Kyle."

* * *

><p>In lesson Butters was sat frozen on his chair staring at his hand. He began to mutter things to himself, like 'wow, a high-five' and those close to him began to shuffle away.<p>

Kyle and Stan took their seats at the front and once again Kyle was wishing for the lesson to go slowly, although he couldn't wait to get home.

Stan occasionally looked over to Kyle at points in the lesson, still feeling guilty that he couldn't help when Kyle needed it. He began to think about what Cartman had said at lunch and he knew it was getting closer to the point where Kyle would give up completely or have another, stronger outburst, without Mr. Mackay to stop him.

Kenny just sat on the edge of his seat fidgeting with excitement. He had thought of the perfect wish and now couldn't wait for his chance to get it.

At three the bell rang out for the end of the school day and Kyle pulled himself out of his seat and unenthusiastically left the classroom with Stan following close behind.

The two began to walk down the corridor but were quickly caught up to by Cartman and Kenny.

"Oh man, I'm beat! Kahl hold my bags." Carmtan sighed and straightened his arm out in front of Kyle with the bag loosely hooked onto one of his fingers so it dangled in front of him.

Kyle looked at the bag and remained still but then turned his head slowly to Cartman like his neck was the only part of him not fixed with rage.

"Why. Don't. You. Carry. It. Yourself?" He growled pushing each word out like a bullet he wanted to fire at Cartman.

"Urm, because I'm tired and you're my slave, this is how it works." Cartman said as if what he was saying was obvious and dropped the bag at Kyle's feet before skipping lightly ahead singing a made-up song with the lyrics about Kyle's misery.

Kyle just looked down at the bag and then back up at Cartman. Stan was about to offer to carry it for him but Kyle reluctantly picked it up and threw it over his shoulder before he could.

There was a silence between the three as they followed Cartman out and it was obvious that Kyle was deep in thought as he watched Cartman skip ahead of them. Stan turned to him but once again was stuck as for what to say. Nothing he could say could make Kyle feel better and now they both knew that so he remained just watching him guiltily with concern.

Kyle could feel Stan watching him but ignored it and remained looking at Cartman.

Why me? Is it solely because I'm a Jew? Does he just like to enflict misery on anyone who's different? He takes the piss out of Kenny for being poor sure but it's never as bad as this. In fact Kenny is probably one of Cartman's closest friends! But if it's not that then what is it? Is it the way I react? Is it my anger that makes him laugh? Or the fact that I may crack one day that just gets him excited?

At the bus stop Cartman was still singing and Kenny wasn't exactly doing a good job of holding back his own happiness as he was constantly fighting back a smile at the thought of his perfect wish coming true, all he had to do now was wait.

They all stood listening to Cartman's merry song as they waited for the bus without saying a word. Kyle was trying to block out Cartman and all thoughts of the day completely but the weight of the extra bag on his shoulders kept on reminding him.

When the bus finally did arrive Cartman skipped on and Kenny couldn't help a small jump up onto the first step; Kyle and Stan however dragged themselves on.

As Kyle walked down the bus all eyes shot to him like magnets. All those who were silent suddenly had something to talk about and all those already talking changed their conversation topic at the sight of him and soon he was the talk of the bus with people sniggereing and some looking back and pointing at Cartman.

"Oh Kahl! Hasn't today been fun!" Cartman said especially loud so they could hear. "I wish every day was like this."

Kyle ignored him and went to sit in his usual seat next to Stan but Cartman had other plans and called over to him deliberately loud enough for the whole bus to hear but acting like it was only meant for Kyle.

"Oh no no no Kahl, I want you to come and sit right…here." Cartman said and cheerily patted the seat next to him.

Kyle knew he was putting on a show for their audience on the bus and once again he was surrounded by glaring eyes, he wasn't going to entertain them, that was what Cartman wanted. Instead he just sighed heavily and heaved himself out of his seat and slumped down next to Cartman.

"There! That wasn't so hard now was it? Not that it matters, you still have to do it." Cartman smiled patronisingly and made sure his audience were still watching out of the corner of his eye as they giggled and sniggered.

"Sit down and shut up!" Mrs Crabtree bellowed from the front and the staring faces suddenly shot to the front and Cartman dramatically acted as though he had only just noticed them staring.

Kyle didn't move for the entire journey home; he just sat staring at the seat in front of him. Cartman was loving it.

Oh how can this day get any better! He thought. Kahl is miserable, Stan is miserable for him and there isn't a God dam thing they can do about it! I can make Kahl do whatever I want and he can't do anything about it! Oh yes the tables have turned, I've rolled the highest score on the dice and now its time to make the winning move. How can this get any better? It's a dream come true! No, a wish come true! I'm in control and with just those few finishing moves on the board it really will be check-mate, all in good time.

All of his dreams of inflicting misery and embarrasement on Kyle could come true as quickly as he commanded and if only Kyle knew what he dreamt he would be a lot more nervous than he already was.

Most of the bus had emptied when it came to their stop and Stan was already leaning out of his chair ready to move towards Kyle and Cartman as soon as the bus was still. He had been watching them the entire journey, Cartman in particular, but only now did the fatass make any sort of unnerving move. He leant in towards Kyle with a smile on his face and Stan narrowed his eyes as he whispered something into Kyle's ear.

As soon as the bus came to a halt Stan stood up from his seat, as did Kyle and Cartman.

Kyle walked to the front of the bus quickly and turned to face the few people remaining. They greeted his appearance with an excited smile like an audience who smile when their favourite clown who clumsily self inflicts pain for their entertainment appears on the stage.

He rolled his eyes, placed one arm across his stomach and quickly and unenthusiastically bowed forward before pointing to Cartman.

"Thank you, Cartman will be here all week." He said in a rushed slur and quickly jumped off the bus leaving behind the cheers for Cartman who stood up and slowly followed him off waving at his audience as he went, the ringmaster of the circus.

Stan and Kenny pushed their way of the bus and stepped out with the others to see Kyle already turning and shouting at Cartman.

"Alright you sad, vainglorious, douche of a fat turd, take your bag…" Kyle shouted, taking the bag off his back and throwing it onto the ground where it ploughed into the snow. "…and that stupid smile of yours, and go back to your castle."

Cartman looked down at his bag upsidown in the snow and then back up to Kyle, his smile fixed.

"Actually Kahl, you're taking my bag home with you."

"The hell I am!"

"Because you're going to do my homework tonight."

"No way, dude!"

"Yeah, you can't just call over the teachers now Cartman!" Stan said defensively as he went and stood by Kyle, the two looking at him as if they now had the upper-hand.

Cartman looked calmly at Stan, forgiving him for his sudden outburst and then back to Kyle just as calmly.

"You gonna take that risk Jew?"

Stan's eyes narrowed and Kyle did the same out of habit but inside his thoughts were everywhere but in routine.

"I can't stop you from walking away now Kahl but I have proved that it's not always the best option."

He's doing it again, trapping me in this dam corner.

"You could walk away now, leave my bag here on the floor where it will remain all night until you see it again in the morning, and take the risk that I won't say something exagerated tomorrow."

He's cheating, I rolled the dice and he's taken my turn!

"Or you could take it and make certain that you don't have any explaining to do to Mrs. Broklovski."

He knows my weaknesses and he's hitting me hard.

"So you've gotta ask yourself one question: you feeling lucky punk?"

God damn it.

**A/N: I wrote this chapter a little quicker because of the awesome reviews you guys posted last time on the demand for this one! Thank you so much and if you like this chapter as much please review :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Well since this is the last update before Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone! And thank you again for the amazing response to the story!**

Kyle finished his own homework in time for dinner but as soon as he had eaten he was once again at his desk this time with Cartman's books out in front of him.

He sat with his elbow on the table and his head sliding down his palm as he wrote, his mind constantly getting distracted.

When he had almost finished, he stopped and looked up out of his window. The sun was slowly disappearing behind the mountains in the distance which created a pink stain in the sky.

I could try and react less. It's obviously my anger that he enjoys. But it's never that easy, just choosing to be calm, especially not with him. It's not just this slave thing it's everything he has ever done to anyone; to me, to charities, to other kids at school, to celebrities, to Butters, to Kenny...to Stan.

Stan has always been good to me, we're super best friends after all and he knows I would do anything for him. And he tried to do everything he could for me today but I never even thanked him, I was so focused on my anger that I didn't realise how much I appreciated his help.

He looked back down at Cartman's homework and suddenly felt his anger rising again, starting with his fingers and hands tensing and gripping the pen and then rising into his arms and tightening around his chest. He gritted his teeth as it reached his jaws and head and he flew backwards on his seat about to tear up Cartman's book when his mother called from downstairs.

"Kyle! A friend of yours is on the phone!"

Kyle stopped with Cartman's book in his hands and thought of Stan again, which immediately calmed him.

"Ok ma!"

He placed the book back on the desk and ran down in excitement desperate to say sorry or thank you or just anything to Stan!

He flew into the kitchen and grabbed the phone from the wall. "Hello?"

"Hello Kahl."

Kyle opened his mouth but something stopped him from speaking, probably the tightness in his chest rising again, he froze solid.

"I trust my homework is almost complete"

Kyle remained still and frowned hard.

"Of course it is but that's not the reason I phoned. Firstly, and most importantly, none of this conversation leaves the two of us."

Kyle's heart began to pound and hit violently against his chest and because it was so tense it caused an echo like a beating drum in his ear, but his face continued to frown with anger like he had to hide his weaker feelings even on the phone.

"When you arrive at school tomorrow there will be a commotion, something will have happened that-"

"What will have happened?" Kyle interrupted quickly.

"I don't know yet I havent done it!" Cartman snapped impatiently.

I should've seen that coming. He's been planning this one for a while.

"The teachers will be confused and angry and therefore desperate to get to the bottom of things quickly but we're going to make it easy for them…it was you."

The tempo of Kyle's beating drum quickened, he really wanted to scream into the phone, slam it down, refuse! But he couldn't, he needed to know more because Cartman was going to do this whether he refused or not.

Cartman continued after the silence "Be prepared to answer their questions and-"

"Why the hell do you want me to do that?"

"Because dumbass part of being a slave is taking the fall for things your mas-"

"Don't say it Cartman!"

There was a pause as Cartman took his time for his smile to stretch across his face. He milked the moment of Kyle's annoyance and his power over him.

"For things your _master_ has done."

Cartman could now hear Kyle's heavy frustrated breathing in the silence he created. He wanted it that way so that he could take his time to feel how angry Kahl was, how alone Kahl was and how trapped he felt. Its better to feel this in a silence especially since Kahl had nothing to say, no retaliation.

"I will of course plant evidence to back-up your confession and what with Mr. Mackay witnessing your violent outburst at lunch today they won't be too surprised. I'll see you at school Kahl."

There was a click and Kyle was left with the low pitched humming of the dial tone.

Cartman skipped out of the kitchen, returning the smile his mother gave him as she passed with a cheery one of his own.

Kyle slowly hooked the phone back onto the wall and turned to leave the room. He dragged his feet to the stairs now uncertain if he should continue to be angry or give in to the fearful thoughts scratching at the back of his mind. He stopped suddenly half way up the stairs as if frozen in thought.

"Poopsikins!" Liane Cartman called causing Eric to stop half way up the stairs. "Are you going to bedibys?"

Kyle turned and looked back down the stairs. His mother was in the next room and he could hear her voice in conversation his dad about something. He thought again of her face when she gets angry, her booming, unpredictable, screaming voice that follows and the way she stands over him. Cartman had no idea.

"Urm yeah mom. I'm going to bed now. No need to check up on me at all 'coz that's where I'll be…all night!" Cartman called back down the stairs over his shoulder as he had already started walking briskly up again. At the top he sped into his room before his mom could stop him again and once there he slowly but excitedly walked to his bed, knelt down in front of it and slid out a box from underneath.

There was a silence in the other room as Sheila Broflovski had finished talking and Kyle heard her say something about going into the kitchen. His eyes widened and he turned and sped up the stairs, missing a few steps to get to the top quicker and to avoid any kind of conversation with her. At the top he sped into his room and slammed the door shut.

A wide smile spread across Cartman's face as he lifted the lid off this box like he had done so many times before. It always made him smile when he did this, it meant he was getting revenge or making one of his enemies miserable or starting a stage in a plan for $10million! Inside there were black trousers, black boots, a black jacket and a black balaclava.

Kyle was stood against the inside of his door for a while. He was left with the echoes of Cartman's words spinning in his mind making him dizzy. 'Hello Kahl, something will have happened, being a slave, master, master, master…it was you.' The words were digging into him as he walked slowly to his bed and when there he let himself fall onto it to try and silence Cartman's irritatingly loud voice.

He zipped the jacket up at his chest and for the final touch brought the balaclava down over his face, stretching and pulling it at places to make sure it fit just the way he likes it.

He turned over from diving face first onto his pillow so he was now lying flat on his bed and staring straight up at the ceiling.

His smile spread again, still visible through a small hole over his mouth, when he saw himself in the mirror.

Kyle closed his eyes as he lay there wanting to forget it all for just a few minutes wanting to pretend it wasn't happening. And after just a few minutes of attempting to escape to a world where this wasn't happening he sighed heavily releasing all his tension and exhaustion as his head dropped to the side and he fell into a dream, just as Cartman closed the window of his bedroom and snook out towards South Park Elementary.

* * *

><p>Kyle was awoken early next morning by the screaming ring of his alarm clock. His heavy eyelids pulled themselves open and he looked across at the time. 8:00, just enough time for him to get to the bus stop after his usual morning routine.<p>

He quickly got dressed and after eating something small he flew the front door open and made his way out in the lightly falling snow.

"Hey dude." Stan said after acknowledging him walk briskly towards them.

"Hey." Kyle smiled and then looked down the line at Kenny but no one was next to him.

Shit. He had totally forgotten.

"Where's the fatass?" Kyle questioned nervously.

"I dunno, he's gonna miss the bus. Good thing though right?" Stan smiled.

Kyle was so busy concentrating on the empty space that it took him too long to realise Stan's smile and even longer for him to think about how he would normally react as Stan noticed and became curious before he was able to smile back.

"Dude, you ok?"

"Yeah! You're right I don't care where he is." Kyle replied quickly to try and shake Stan's suspicion.

Stan watched him curiously for a while but gave in and they all stood for a few more minutes in silence before the bus came to a creaking halt in front of them.

When the three stepped on all eager eyes immediately turned to Kyle but soon became disappointed when they noticed Cartman wasn't with him.

The rest of the journey Stan knew something was wrong. Kyle was being quiet again making it obvious that he was thinking hard about something but refused to let him in. He was sitting on the edge of his seat as if eager to get off the bus and get to school and that just confused Stan even more.

When the bus eventually did pull up outside South Park Elementary there was a huge crowd gathered outside. Kyle leant against the dirty window of the bus and squinted his eyes to see what was going on but soon realised he'd have to get closer.

Kyle was the first of the three off the bus but they all walked to the entrance together, looking around them curiously as they did.

They quickly realised no one was being allowed into the building as most of the crowd was make up of the school's students all standing outside in the snow. The ones closer to the front smiled amongst each other and beckoned others closer whilst the ones just joining the crowd were desperate to know what it was about and either ran to the front or to their friends for answers. Smaller kids who already knew the problem had begun to play in the snow, determined not to waste the fact that school was starting later.

Most of the teachers stood at the front with concerned and angry faces, the majority looking furiously through the windows and yelling at each other.

The three walked with puzzled expressions, looking up and around them as they made their way to the front to see the problem for themselves.

"What the hell have you done, fatass?" Kyle muttered to himself.

Closer to the front they could hear the ramblings of the angry teachers as they walked amongst them.

"How did someone do this?"

"Isn't it obvious? They smashed the window right there!"

"Yes but why?"

"I said on the last meeting we should've bought that updated alarm system!"

The boys pushed even further until they could see the smashed window and then moved to the main doors of the school, which were open and everyone nearby was staring and pointing inside.

The three were about to step inside but were refused entrance by the school janitor who glared down at them suspiciously. They stared up at him for a while before looking eagerly through the doors.

Inside the school corridors had been turned upside down. Lockers were thrown on their sides, bins had been emptied on the floors, toilet paper had been flown everywhere and paint from the art room had been spat all over the floors. But the most obvious thing was the graffiti. Every colour imaginable had been used cursing the school and the teachers on the walls, floors, doors and windows.

The three stared with their eyes wide and jaws dropped.

"Holy shit dude." Kenny mumbled through his parka.

"Alright back away now!" The janitor snapped and forced the three back through the crowd past the teachers.

"What the hell was all that?" Stan asked in shock.

Kyle stayed totally silent and almost tried to cut himself off from what was going on around him. The cheers of the kids, the shouts from the teachers and even the voices from Stan and Kenny became distant.

He's stepped it up a notch. He could get into serious shit for this…I could get into serious shit for this. Well of course, that's what he wants. So long as I get punished, shown up and he gets away scot-free then he's happy and of course he always gets away with it.

"Hey fellas have you seen what's happened?" Butters cried as he joined them from the crowds and other fourth graders from their class followed him. "Wh- who do you think could've done this?" He asked nervously tapping his thumbs.

"Who indeed?" Came a voice they all recognised including Kyle who was the first to flick his head sharply around to see the fatass waddling towards them.

"Cartman where the hell have you been and what do you know?" Stan questioned irritated.

"Woah calm down Sherlock!" Cartman said as he walked towards them, keeping his eye on Kyle but then addressing Stan when he stopped.

"I missed the bus this morning and my mom had to drop me off."

Kyle's eyes narrowed in anger the more he looked at him but this wasn't noticed as practically the entire group was looking at him suspiciously.

"I trust my homework is complete Kahl." Cartman continued with a smile as he picked up his bag that Kyle had had on his back all morning until that point.

"Whoever did this is gonna get it dude." Craig said from the back and everyone nodded in agreement, including Cartman who purposely avoided Kyle's hard stare.

"Who says they'll find them, no one will own up to it!" Token said just as Mr. Mackay emerged from the crowd of teachers.

"Alright students listen up m'ckay!" He called making the entire yard full of children fall silent and turn to him.

"I'm sure you all know by now that our school has been vandalised. But know this, South Park Elementary will not put up with this kind of behaviour m'ckay!"

The crowds started to draw closer to Mackay until they surrounded him and the teachers stood close behind him giving every student a dangerous look as if to check if any would crack under the pressure of their stares.

"That's right students." Principal Victoria said as she joined Mr. Mackay in addressing the crowd.

Kyle suddenly grew nervous looking into the angry faces of all the teachers as they scanned over all the kids looking for anyone showing any signs of guilt or fear. He'd never seen some of them look so threatening as they all showed the same deep frustration. Next to him Cartman stood watching him and, sensing his fear, raised the corner of his mouth to a smile.

"School will continue as normal just be sure to step especially carefully in the corridors. However before we all go inside we want to know if any of you have any information." Principal Victoria continued.

All the students looked amongst each other and then began to mutter amongst themselves and peer over at others as if wanting to get a first look at anyone who would own up.

Kyle's heart began to pound faster than it had ever done. He could see Cartman out of the corner of his eye and when he turned to face him it was obvious what he was ordering just by the gleaming excitement in his eyes.

He looked back out to the front and at the teachers waiting and began to anxiously rub his knuckles as the pressure mounted on top of him.

Around him he could hear his friends muttering to each other about who would actually be crazy enough to do this and be even crazier to admit it. Even Stan was eagerly looking around him for a culprit so didn't notice Kyle's deep breathing or nervous twitches.

"No one is willing to say anything?" Mr. Mackay repeated.

Cartman looked at Kyle harder so he could feel his stare digging into him like it was trying to physically push him forward, and it worked.

Kyle took one step forwards in the otherwise motionless crowd and then another and then more and more until his legs were making him hastily walk to the front barely under his own command.

Stan stared at him wide-eyed in shock and confusion and soon the entire school was eagerly watching him move to the front and continued to stare as he stopped in front of the army of teachers who had immediately shot him multiple looks as soon as he made any signs of movement.

He stood anxiously for a while, dodging all of their gazes and then poured out his words as quickly as possible in a low muffle.

Mr. Mackay and Principal Victoria looked down in surprise and couldn't believe what they had just heard.

"Kyle Broflovski, what did you just say?" Principal Victoria questioned.

Stan was staring at him in utter shock and exasperated confusion while Cartman stood excitedly rubbings his hands together.

"It was me." He called louder and gasps grew out from the crowds.

"Right then young man, you're coming with me!" Principal Victoria shouted and led Kyle into the building as Mr. Mackay turned to face the crowds again

"Alright, please make your way carefully through the corridor to class m'ckay."

A groan was let out by all the kids hopeful of a day off and everyone unenthusiastically marched into the building.

Stan stood dumbfounded for a while as he stared at the place Kyle had confessed but he snapped out of his trance when he noticed Cartman walk past him still smiling.

"Hey fatass, what the hell are you smiling at?" He called and quickly caught up with him.

"Oh nothing its just Kahl, he's such a dumbass! Who would own up to something like that? Then again it's probably just his stupid Jew conscience that makes him act like this."

Stan suddenly grew frustrated and by now the two had entered the rubble of the destroyed corridor.

"Kyle never acts like this because Kyle would never do this in the first place!" Stan shouted as they dodged and stepped over all the new obstacles of the corridor.

"Stan dude I hear what you're saying, but I mean surely you've noticed something different about him recently. He's not quite with it, something's got him majorly stressed and I personally am not surprised he's released his anger on the school."

"Its you that has got him acting weird you idiot! You and this whole stupid slave thing! But even so I know Kyle well enough to know that he doesn't just smash things to make himself feel better." Stan shouted again as they turned another corner and arrived outside their classroom.

"And I also know that you know that too." He said after swallowing his anger, now looking into Cartman's eyes for any signs of guilt.

At first he showed nothing and just stared back but eventually couldn't help showing his smug pride by smiling wickedly before turning into the classroom leaving Stan to furiously follow behind. There was nothing he could do.

**A/N: I always love to know your reactions to my story so please review with what you think! :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you so so so much for the reviews! They came as an early Christmas present ;D Hope you enjoy the next part of the story…**

After being mercilessly screamed at by the principal and councillor Kyle was sent to clean up the mess all through lessons that day.

He was standing with a mop vigorously scrubbing red paint off the floor constantly thinking about what his class would be doing now and what he would be missing.

But no matter how much he tried to distract his mind he was always brought back to thinking about Cartman like he was travelling in circles trying to lose him.

It's like this every week, every day. Not a day goes by without seeing that insufferable smile on his face whether he's thought of a plan or its already gone exactly how he meant it to with the result being hell for me; he thought whilst vigorously scrubbing the mop over the paint, his grip tightening around the handle.

It's a war with a battle taking place every time they meet. A battle of dominance, pride and the high ground to use as a head start in the next battle. They've spent their childhood lives together tearing at each other desperate for one to bring the other down.

But I'm fighting for it to stop.

He stood up from mopping and looked around him again at the destroyed corridor.

Fighting to stop him for good, silence him by any way necessary. He's the opposite. He has an obsession with putting me down and gloating when I'm there, showing everyone that it was him who did it. And he's winning.

With that he threw the mop down in anger and his teeth began to grind as he stood so tense with anger he was unable to move.

And that's just it. We're total opposites, it's impossible to ever meet in the middle; someone has to win or this'll go on forever.

Suddenly the bell rang out for recess and doors swung open around him letting loose the class that had been eagerly waiting behind them. The kids cheered and ran past Kyle to the yard without even noticing him, leaving him only with the sharp breezes they left behind and his anger that was now ready and waiting to explode. And today he was going to finally let it out.

* * *

><p>Cartman, Stan and Kenny were all already on the yard with a football that Kenny had picked up; Stan had refused to take his eyes off Cartman since they spoke in the corridors and had been watching him all lesson.<p>

"If you think I'm gonna buy your innocence…" Stan started angrily as he watched the two with the football.

Cartman just kicked the ball back to Kenny, rolling his eyes as he did and sighing heavily like Stan was a moaning child getting on his nerves. He knew Stan had been watching him so he'd been waiting for this.

"Stan? Alright? Seriously." He said, as he turned around, exasperated that it had taken him this long to say anything.

"No! No it's not alright! I think you've taken this as far as it can go now so would you just drop it!"

"Hey! Kahl destroyed the place! I had nothing to do with that."

"My ass!"

Cartman was about to reply when the ball was fired back straight at his head causing him to lose balance and fall to his hands and knees and the ball to land in the snow nearby.

The three turned and looked up at where the ball had flown from to see Kyle marching towards them with his fists tensed by his sides and his teeth grinding almost loud enough for them to hear.

"Kahl? What the hell?" Cartman grunted and started to lift himself up but Kyle got to him before he could and kicked his arms from under him causing him to crash down again.

"Kahl…" Cartman said slowly and impatiently as he turned himself over to look up at Kyle who stood over him infuriated. "I order you to-"

Kyle growled in anger and began to kick Cartman again who let out grunts of pain before grabbing Kyle's leg causing him to fall backwards.

He then attempted to get up but Kyle violently kicked his shin so he fell again, whining at the sharp pain. Seeing they were both on the floor Kyle saw his chance and tried to lunge onto him, with his hands ready to reach around his neck but Cartman managed to throw him off.

As the fight continued pupils gathered excitedly to watch as if they'd been keeping an eye on the two, waiting for this to finally happen. But with their cheering came unwanted attention as Mr. Mackay noticed the fight from a distance. He started making his way over and by now Cartman had scrambled to his feet but Kyle quickly followed and they continued to push and throw punches at each other.

By the time the councillor was close Kyle was by far the strongest as his rage gave him a supply of energy like a fuel and right now it was limitless, violently pouring out of him like a volcano.

Mr. Mackay pushed past cheering kids to get to the front where he saw Kyle repeatedly punching Cartman who had given up and was now beginning to squeal.

"Kyle Broflovski! What on Earth is going on here m'ckay?" Mr. Mackay shouted and all the students who hadn't seen him before now fell deadly silent and looked away as if they'd never been involved.

Kyle froze holding Cartman by the scruff of his collar, his anger was still clearly visible on his face.

"Kyle you put him down right now! You're in enough trouble as it is m'ckay!"

Kyle looked back over his shoulder to Mr. Mackay and then back at Cartman who had warily begun to raise the corners of his mouth to a smile but didn't make it too obvious in case Kyle was prepared to release the last little bit of anger he had left.

Kyle saw him do this but opened up his hands to release him from his grasp making Cartman fall to the floor and dramatically whine about his bruises in front of the councillor.

"I don't know what the hell has gotten into you Broflovski but this is not acceptable behaviour m'ckay!"

Kyle remained looking down at Cartman from above for as long as possible so he could remember the image later.

"Eric, are you alright?"

"I-I guess so Mr. Mackay." Cartman coughed. "I think you got here just in time."

"What happened here?"

Cartman spluttered out more pathetic little coughs before weakly scrambling to his feet.

"Well I don't think he wants to follow my orders anymore. It's my fault isn't it Mr. Mackay? It's because I don't have a father. All I wanted was to have someone do what I wanted with me for a change." Cartman moaned pathetically putting on his best sympathy face that Stan, Kenny and Kyle had seen too many times before to ever believe again.

"Oh come on! You can't seriously believe this crap!" Kyle shouted as he watched Cartman hobble towards Mr. Mackay with an exaggerated limp.

"That's enough out of you!" Mr. Mackay shouted to Kyle before looking back down at Cartman who had made it to his feet. "Now Eric, I assure you that this is not your fault. It's never your fault m'ckay."

Kyle rolled his eyes and Mr. Mackay turned his attention back to him.

"We discussed in the principal's office that we weren't going to tell your parents about the vandalism so long as you got the mess cleaned up but now if you don't follow this poor little boy's wish I will call them up right now mister m'ckay!"

Kyle's eyes grew wide at the thought of his mother seeing not only the state of the school but now Cartman's act that he knew he would exaggerate even more for her.

"Alright now everyone back away please m'ckay let's give Eric some space!" Mr. Mackay called to the few remaining members of the audience that were desperate enough to see the end so hadn't walked slowly away to avoid getting into trouble like the others.

"I think I'll be alright now Mr. Mackay; just so long as Kyle knows what he has to do." Cartman said sweetly looking up to him.

"M'ckay, well I'll go inside and fetch the nurse." He said slowly and comfortingly and left after giving Cartman a friendly pat on the back.

Cartman watched him walk away and then slowly turned back around to Kyle who hadn't moved from the spot Mr. Mackay stopped him in. Stan and Kenny joined him at his sides.

"Dude you ok?" Stan asked Kyle who remained still keeping his full attention on Cartman. Stan was about to ask again for a response when Cartman began to move towards them and so all three stood silently watching him.

Cartman didn't look at the three as he moved and he brought the back of his hand up to his nose to messily wipe away a trickle of blood that fell from it. He was surprisingly silent and calm and the closer he got to them the more wary they became until, to their surprise, he walked straight past them.

They all turned around to watch him pick up the football from where it had landed after Kyle threw it.

He inspected it in his hands and then looked up at a part of the school building in front of them where the sports equipment was kept. It was only two stories high like the size of a small garage but everyone knew of the conveniently placed drainpipes and window ledges that allowed thrill seeking fifth graders to climb it.

He held the ball out in front of him and then brought his foot up to meet it, powerfully kicking it high above them until it landed with a thud on the roof.

He then slowly turned back around to face the three who had watched the ball from the moment it left his hands and were now stood staring at the roof where it landed.

"Kahl." Cartman said to get his attention back and the three looked at him again. "Go get it."

The few fifth graders that had climbed the garage before had always ended up with serious injuries; no one else was stupid enough to climb it.

"What?" Kyle growled.

"No way Cartman!" Stan said.

"Yeah!" Kenny agreed in an angry muffle.

Cartman remained staring at Kyle like he was trying to deliver a message by breaking into his mind but soon realised he didn't need to. Kyle could tell exactly what he was saying without it.

He's going to tell my mom a lot more than what actually happened, and he knows she'll believe him. Everyone always believes him. Hell, especially if he's got wounds to show they'll believe whatever he says over me. It's hopeless.

"What'll it be Kahl? Climb to the roof and get the ball back, simple enough, or explain to your mother how you've been missing lessons to clean up vandalised school propertah and in the same week mercilessly beaten an emotionally unstable child?"

Kyle stared hard into Cartman until his mind became distracted by the images of his mother when she's angry at the best of times and he began to just stare aimlessly with the images distracting him. The whole world seems to shrink to just him and her towering above with a booming voice that sounds like a devil's in a graveyard. Not to mention how many years he'll be grounded for and he'll have to move to a school out of town, be away from his only true friend in the world.

He focused back, turned and looked up to the roof, which seemed to grow and stretch away from him the more he tried to concentrate on it. If he's really careful there's no guarantee anything would go wrong.

"Kyle!" Stan shouted when he noticed his best friend considering the climb. "You can't be serious dude?"

Kyle didn't say anything and just stepped towards the garage much to Cartman's joy.

"Dude!" Stan cried.

He didn't dare look back to see Stan's confused face or Cartman's victorious grin but stopped when he reached the bottom and looked high above him as the wall loomed over threateningly almost warning him off.

He sighed heavily and grabbed hold of the drainpipe ready to pull himself up.

Checkmate Cartman.

**A/N: Again I can't thank you enough for the support this story has got! Really encourages me to write more! Don't forget I love to know all your reactions and feelings to it so far!**

**Link to a poster I made on devianart: (Sorry if it doesn't work :/)**

**.com/art/It-s-all-a-game-South-Park-275576415 **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you so much to all who reviewed the last chapter! Read on to see things take a turn for the worst for both our central characters!**

Kyle was almost at the top by the time anyone noticed and started gathering around. They stared up, some fearful and some excited on seeing him fail.

Stan stood directly under him dumbfounded and keeping a very close eye on his movements controlling Kyle like his puppet, calling to him where to put his feet or what to grab on to.

Cartman stood a little further back to get a good enough view also watching his every move; the real master of the puppet.

Whenever Kyle didn't quite get a secure enough footing or slipped slightly the crowd would gasp in excitement or fear with the exciting ones groaning when he got a good enough grip again.

This is insane; he knows it's insane. But something made him start to climb whether it was Cartman's stare, the expulsion threat or the nightmare memory of his mother's anger, the fact was he had become a slave. As much as he hated to admit it Kyle knew that he was being controlled. It's been like that for a long time, for his whole childhood.

He heard Stan shout something from below him, probably another safe footing. He tapped his foot on the top window ledge to his left to make sure it would hold him and then put his entire weight on it and lifted himself up onto the roof letting himself fall forward onto its safety.

A small cheer was let out from below him and he looked across to see the football Cartman had kicked up.

It's all a game.

"Bring it back Kyle!" Someone called from below.

He knew they were only repeating Cartman's orders, in fact whoever it was was probably concerned for his safety, but when Kyle looked back over the edge he couldn't see who had called it.

It's all a game.

It didn't matter, it sounded like Cartman, another one of Cartman's damn orders. His whole childhood he's been a slave to his own emotions, his anger makes him hate and it's his hate that makes Cartman continue to torment him.

It's all a game.

"Well done Kahl." Cartman said as he stepped forward slightly making sure his audience could see who was in charge. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Kyle walked away from the edge to pick up the ball and brought it back under his arm where he looked down again at Cartman.

"Very unusual for a Jew."

It's all a game; it's all a game. Kyle repeated in his head to try and stop himself from getting angry and letting the hate control him. He stepped off the ledge again and rested his foot onto the window ledge that helped him up.

It's all a game. He continued to repeat as he concentrated on lowering himself slowly down.

Stan smiled in relief that it was nearly over but Cartman, disappointed that Kyle was ignoring him, tried something else.

"All the Jews live up to stereotypes." He started and smiled devilishly as Stan flicked his head around to him threateningly knowing what he was trying to do.

Kyle suddenly froze with those words sticking to his mind like a virus and all the emotions from yesterday came flooding back.

Stan turned his attention back up to him, with desperation now beginning to show on his face and attempted to distract him from Cartman.

"Dude, it's only Cartman!"

But this didn't make any difference to Kyle as he started to remember the words that had come out of his own mouth and suddenly his hate turned on himself.

"It's only a game!" Stan called again.

When Kyle heard this he snapped out of his trance as quickly as he had been brought into it and slowly started the journey down again.

Stan smiled nervously and both he and Cartman kept their eyes on the Jew as he slowly continued to travel down.

"Jews are greedy…" Cartman began again.

The hate in Kyle rose again making him tense all over. The ball was still under his arm making it more difficult for him to grip. He attempted to ignore it and stretched his foot down to feel for another ledge whilst his free arm kept hold of a pipe.

"…and fussy misers."

The tenseness claimed his entire body but he continued, determined not to let it control him. He went to rest his weight on the ledge he thought was just under his foot, but it wasn't.

His body jolted and his eyes widened in shock in the split second before he started to fall. He stretched both his arms out to reach up for a ledge causing the ball to fly up out of his grasp and then start following him down.

Time seemed to slow as he plummeted the rest of the way down and on the floor Stan's eyes stretched to a look of horror and even Cartman looked up in shock as he fell.

All eyes were glued on Kyle once again as he fell and eventually hit the floor, eyes closed, unconscious.

* * *

><p>The rest of the school had been sent inside as soon as a teacher joined the crowd but Stan, Kenny and Cartman were outside until Kyle was put into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher.<p>

"This is all your fault fatass!" Stan said angrily as he watched the paramedics frantically slam shut the doors of the ambulance.

"Me? I fail to see how this is my fault! I just asked him to get the ball. It's his own stupid fault he fell."

"He was blinded by rage!"

"He was blinded by being a dumbass."

Stan shook his head angrily and turned around to head back into class.

Kenny remained outside for a little while as he and Cartman watched the ambulance drive away to 'Hells Pass'.

"Heh what a dumbass huh Kenny?" Cartman laughed.

"Fuck you." Kenny replied after a short silence and then followed Stan back inside.

* * *

><p>By the end of the school day a lot of the kids had forgotten all about what happened at recess. Kyle was merely their entertainment; their favourite clumsy clown had just put on another show. Stan however had thought of nothing else all day and he was desperate to get out of school to see him.<p>

When they could finally leave at the end of the day Stan, Kenny and Cartman walked quickly to the hospital so conversation was minimal apart from Cartman's feeble attempts at bringing them back on his side whilst he dragged behind them unenthusiastically.

Hospitals made Stan feel uncomfortable, maybe because the four seemed to be in them a lot more times than other kids their age, but this time he was eagerly following close behind the doctor who led them to Kyle's room.

"He's in here." The doctor said outside a single door and then left the three.

Stan and Kenny wasted no time in pushing the door open and bursting inside whilst Cartman followed slowly behind.

A blonde-haired nurse was standing by the bed with a clipboard. She looked up from adjusting a drip at Kyle's bedside and for a while the only sound in the room was of the echoes of a heart monitor regularly beeping by the bed.

"Oh hello boys, his parents have just left. I assume you're friends of his?" The nurse said sweetly with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah is he ok?" Stan blurted as he rushed to Kyle's side quickly followed by Kenny whilst Cartman remained at the door, looking impatiently and unconvincingly in at them.

"Well he's coping fine at the minute but...I'm afraid he is still unconscious. He fell on his head and has slipped into a coma."

Stan looked desperately up at her and then back down to Kyle who lay like he was sleeping with his chest rising up and down with each slow breath.

"How long will he be like this for?"

"We don't know. It could be a couple of days or a couple of months or longer." She said as she walked back to the end of the bed and hooked the clipboard back onto it before walking to the door making Cartman step to one side.

"I am sorry, boys. But I'm sure your friend will be glad to know you're here." She said with a smile and then stepped outside.

Kenny patted Stan on the back as he looked down at Kyle's head bandage around his messy red hair and multiple drips leading to his arms and chest.

All three were still, leaving the echoes of the heart monitor to once again fill the silence.

"He's so faking." Cartman said suddenly after a few more seconds of stillness.

Stan and Kenny turned back around to face him with looks of disbelief.

"Anyone can pretend to be asleep for weeks, its obvious he's after attention!"

Stan moved past Kenny towards Cartman until he was almost on top of him.

"It's your fault he's here like this fatass and that's all you have to say?"

Cartman rolled his eyes aggravated that this had been brought up again.

"I didn't tell him to fall Stan."

"Do you think he wanted an invitation?

"All I'm saying is give it a few hours 'till he's bored and he'll be up again."

"What?"

"Just watch."

"Shut the hell up fatass" Kenny muffled from the bed.

Cartman let out an exaggerated yawn whilst stretching his arms wide at his sides.

"Ah, well you know I could stand here and watch Kahl's performance all evening but I'm pretty sure I'm missing Terrance and Phillip sooooo: screw you guys, I'm goin' home." Cartman said and pointed his stubby fingers at the door before pulling it open and marching back down the corridors to the exit.

Heh what dumbasses, it's so obvious he's faking. Probably doing it to get off school or for attention, whiny little Jew. Well bravo on your performance Kahl! But you ain't foolin' me.

Cartman continued to smile to himself as he walked through reception but as soon as the automatic doors swung open for his exit the biting freeze of the air hit him all over, which made his smile drop. He stepped outside and the doors shut quickly behind him. It was noticeably warmer inside and Cartman convinced himself that that was what made him think back inside to Kyle.

Every time they had been near each other for the last few days Kyle looked furious and tense and it seemed almost unreal that for once he could look so relaxed.

The beep of the heart monitor echoed in his mind and he could see the drip leading into Kyle's arm that seemed to drip in time with the heart. His heart. Kyle's heart. That was being announced on that machine.

He shook his head violently at that thought and continued walking home.

Stan's wrong, it's not my fault he's in there. Besides he's totally fine, they'll see!

Shouldn't be too long, he'll get bored. Dumb Jew.

**A/N: Hope this chapter has been enjoyed by most as much as the others! And if it has please don't forget to review and tell me what you think! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey! Sorry about the really late update! I've been very busy with things but this was always on my mind! Enjoy the next chapter:**

The next day at school the three walked through the corridors that were now almost clean thanks to the school janitor who was still violently scrubbing a patch of paint off the floor as they passed. He stopped and glared up at them like he did at every kid who passed him, like he blamed them even though he knew the culprit.

"Alright children let's take our seats." Mr. Garrison called as they entered their classroom and everyone sat up in their desks. "Now as you all know there was an accident yesterday involving one of our students, Kyle Broflovski."

Cartman rolled his eyes and raised his elbow onto his desk so his head could slump heavily into his palm.

"Kyle is in hospital now in what is called a coma so Mr. Mackay and I decided it would be a good idea for us to write him some nice 'get well soon' cards for when he wakes up."

"Jesus Christ, he's fine!" Cartman moaned.

"There's card and glitter and all that crap on the desk at the front." Mr. Garrison finished lazily and fell back into his desk with a magazine.

"Yipee!" Butters called from the back and was the first to the front to collect some card.

Everyone else in the class shortly followed him, including Stan and Kenny, who took some card back to their desk to spread paint and glitter on its cover.

"Eric!" Mr. Garrison snapped when he looked up and noticed Cartman still leaning forward on his desk sulking.

"Fine!" He groaned and lazily fell from his chair to pick up some card.

The whole class spent the morning making cards with smiley faces and get well soon messages whilst Cartman gazed out of the window until either Stan or Mr. Garrison shot him an angered disapproving look.

Eventually the bell let out its usual deafening ring for recess and Cartman looked up to it thankfully.

"Finally!" He cheered and pushed his chair away from the desk to eagerly leap out of it.

"I would like everyone to put last week's homework assignment on my desk on your way out." Mr. Garrison called, stopping Cartman dead in his tracks.

"Oh, weak."

All the kids moved to the front with their homework as he stood biting his lip frantically trying to think of something.

Stan and Kenny threw their papers up onto the desk but didn't bother to even look back at Cartman who was now back at his desk, awkwardly leaning on half of his chair as he quickly wrote something on the same piece of card that had been on his desk all morning.

Eventually he followed innocently behind the last pupil out and threw the card up onto the desk that Mr. Garrison looked suspiciously down at.

On the top it started to read 'Get well soon Kyle' but now the half finished sentence had been crossed out and underneath it read: 'IOU one homework' in messy handwriting.

"Eric!" Mr. Garrison shouted, stopping Cartman in the doorway just before he could hastily close the door behind him.

"Yes Mr. Garrison?" He replied sweetly, leaning back inside.

"What the hell is this?" Mr. Garrison asked holding up the card, unimpressed.

"Oh that sir, well you know I've just been so busy with my depression and all, that I just couldn't find the time to write about America's effect on global warming in the East." He explained remaining in the doorway for a quick escape.

Mr. Garrison sighed after realising there was no point in arguing and dropped the card back onto the pile.

"Whatever Eric."

Cartman watched him do this and expectantly waited to be told he could go but Mr. Garrison didn't say anything. So he slowly began to attempt backing out of the classroom again but Mr. Garrison stopped him.

"Before you go will you get Kyle's paper from his desk."

Cartman stopped and looked out to the exit at the end of the corridor and to his rightly deserved recess and then back at how much closer Mr. Garrison was to Kyle's desk. But when Mr. Garrison didn't explain how he was only kidding and how foolish and unlawful it would be to keep him from his break he realised he was being serious, so angrily muttered to himself whilst shuffling to Kyle's desk.

When he lifted the lid on the desk he grabbed the first pile of papers he could find, its Garrison's problem if they're the wrong ones, and was about to close it when something caught his eye.

At first he thought he must be mistaken but on closer inspection he was certain he recognised the first line of messy writing that was barely visible on a crumpled up piece of paper in the corner of Kyle's desk. He reached forward and picked it up before shoving the papers under his arm so he could use both hands to straighten it out and read it properly.

'All the Jews live up to the stereotypes. Jews are greedy and fussy misers'

Oh jackpot! He kept it! Now I don't have to remember it when he comes back!

Cartman kept a wide eye of excitement on his masterpiece whilst he walked to the front and threw Kyle's paper onto Mr. Garrison's desk; he then laughed to himself as he continued to read down the corridor.

I can't believe the idiot of a Jew kept it in his desk! He must secretly know it's true. He's keeping it there as a reminder of the monster he really is, he just won't admit it.

The corridor was silent as everyone was already outside leaving only the sounds of his footsteps to echo around him. As he continued to walk this echo started to sound like something else familiar to him and the further he walked the more this recognisable sound replaced the sound of his own footsteps; until the sound of Kyle's beeping heart monitor was echoing the space around him every time his foot touched the ground.

He tried to ignore it and continue to read but the beeping was getting louder until it became almost impossible to think let alone read. He made himself concentrate and stare hard at the paper, desperately trying to laugh or smile at words which made him do before but now even he didn't believe his forced smiles.

He looked up to see a fading image of Kyle in the hospital bed appearing before him with the heart monitor at his side and he shook his head in disbelief before suddenly stopping and silencing the corridor again.

He looked around him to make sure no one had seen and then in front of him where the image of Kyle had now gone.

De f*ck was that?

He looked back down at the paper.

Heh, like I care. I don't care! That ginger Jew could be rotting in hell and I wouldn't care.

He continued to walk down the corridor his mind fixed on his hatred for Kyle to make sure he didn't appear again. As he reached the exit he noticed a bin in the corner and after a short pause scrunched up the paper again and threw it in.

Besides he's fine, he's totally fine.

His face was still showing a little confusion when he reached the two outside who immediately noticed when they looked over at him.

"Where the hell have you been asshole?"

"Just…inside." He said slowly, lost in thought.

"His fat ass was weighing him down." Kenny sniggered.

"Screw you hippie."

"I think Mr. Garrison will want us to take the cards after school." Stan said continuing his previous conversation with Kenny.

"The word 'us' in that sentence has several meanings Stan…" Cartman started.

"It means you're coming too fatass! It's your-"

"Fault he's in there, yeah yeah."

Stan gave Cartman a hard stare but eventually turned back around to continue talking to Kenny.

Just you keep rotting there Jew, I'll never believe it's my fault, and I swear nothing will ever make me care.

* * *

><p>After recess class went back to normal lessons and by lunch everyone was desperate to get out.<p>

Cartman had spent the lesson not listening, like always, only this time he found himself constantly looking over to Kyle's empty desk. Every time he did he would shake his head and make himself look forward sometimes even trying to concentrate on Mr. Garrison's lesson just to distract his mind.

As soon as the bell rang out everyone snapped their books shut and flew off their desks sending papers and pencils flying as they ran out of the classroom.

Stan, Kenny and Cartman were all also quick to get out and eagerly made their way to the cafeteria lunch queue.

They stood there silently with nothing to say until Kenny noticed a large group gathering around a table of fifth graders.

"Hey, what's going on there?" He asked making Stan and Cartman look up as well.

"Oh I heard about this." Stan answered. "Some guy in the fifth grade broke his wrist; he wished he could order in as much pizza as he wants every lunch."

They all watched the boy triumphantly present the stacks of pizza boxes piled high in front of him and how his crowd looked in awe at him, and it made Kenny smile eagerly as he thought of his wish coming true. Cartman just looked at the fifth grader's audience and how their excited beaming faces were in the palm of his hand. He missed that.

"I wonder what Kyle will wish for when he wakes up." Stan added making Cartman look sharply across at him.

"What?"

"What Kyle will wish for, he's gone through some serious physical trauma. That's the rules right?"

Cartman couldn't help but twitch slightly at the thought of this.

Kahl can have a wish. Jesus I never even thought of that. If he…when he wakes up they'll give him whatever he wants, he can ask for whatever he wants. That vengeful little Jew is about to pick up the highest scoring card in the deck.

Stan watched as Cartman entered his own panicked thoughts and couldn't help but raise one corner of his mouth to a smile before moving forward in the queue with Kenny.

"Hello there, children!" Chef cheered as they stepped in front of him.

"Hey Chef."

"How's Kyle?"

"Bad; well last time we saw him."

"Aw now don't you worry children, I'm sure he's on the mend." Chef smiled reassuringly as he passed down their food, which Stan and Kenny took with a smile before leaving to find their table.

"Chef?" Cartman asked quietly and Chef looked down in surprise that he was still there.

"What is it Eric?"

"This whole Kahl thing...people seem to think it's my fault."

"…It is your fault Eric. But I personally think the whole 'Take this Wish' thing is a stupid idea anyway."

"What if Kahl believes it too?"

"Well children, that's quite likely. But if there is anything this school teaches it's not to take an eye for an eye."

Cartman looked back down at his food lost in thought.

"Well at least that's what it should be teaching anyway, now go on children you're holding up the line!"

* * *

><p>Cartman spent the entire rest of the school day trying to think up the worst possible wishes Kyle could throw at him and then trying to think of a way around it; anything he could say or any excuses he could make. He was still so focused on this at the end of last lesson that he almost didn't hear the end-of-school bell.<p>

All the kids cheered and stuffed their work from that day to the bottom of their bags before throwing them on their shoulders and running out.

"Eric I expect that assignment in from you when you're back on Monday." Mr. Garrison said to Cartman who didn't reply as he was still in a thoughtful daze, packing his stuff up slowly much to the annoyance of Stan and Kenny who were desperate to see Kyle.

Stan quickly picked up the pile of cards the class had made and then they all made their way, once again, to 'Hells Pass'

* * *

><p>Now that the three knew their way to Kyle's room they walked briskly down the corridors until they reached it.<p>

Stan's excited smile on seeing his friend dropped as soon as he flung open the door and saw Kyle still lying motionless in his bed, eyes closed. Sheila and Gerald Broflovski were standing over him and Sheila was rubbing his hair muttering comforting words to him.

"He's still not awake yet boys." A gentle voice said from behind them and they turned to see the same nurse from yesterday smiling down at them.

Stan looked back to Kyle, the disappointment clearly visible by the welling of tears in his eyes.

"But I'm sure your friend will be glad to know you're here." She continued and stepped past them to continue her way outside.

Stan and Kenny walked up to the bed and together they opened up the pile of cards and set them on the table beside him one at a time. Sheila and Gerald smiled at the messy pictures of happy faces and Kyle with multiple friends in his class.

Cartman stayed by the door again. He hates being around the bitch of a Jew at the best of times but now he might be expected to talk to her. He watched as Stan put the last of the cards up and then looked back down at Kyle; they all just stood there watching him as if he would miraculously jump up if they did it long enough.

Hm. So you've decided not to wake up yet huh Kahl? Going to stretch this out longer? What an attention seeking asshole. Cartman thought whilst watching the pathetic circle of people, wondering what the hell they were so worried about.

You're waiting aren't you? Waiting for me to give in. You want me to come over there and look at you like the rest of these losers; fall into your trap just so then you can jump up and laugh in my face. Well you're going to be waiting a while Jew!

Cartman's broken into Kyle's room enough times for him to know what he looks like when he's sleeping, so it was surprising that it had taken him this long to notice that something was different. There was a general feeling that he wasn't really there, like you could somehow tell he wasn't dreaming anything or feeling uncomfortable and wanting to turn over. He didn't know why he hadn't noticed it before but the longer he stared the more he started to realise that Kyle wasn't just sleeping, he really was gone and all this equipment and medicine around him was trying to bring him back. What started as staring through narrowed angered eyes had now become just staring at the Jew; but he soon realised what he was thinking and his brain tried to get him to snap out of it, walk away, leave him! But another organ, in his chest, was telling him to stay.

This is the Jew boy! His brain shouted. The one who has always been ruining your plans, been there to make you look like an idiot, the one who always thinks he's so dam better than you, you don't give a f*ck what happens to him!

So why do I want him to wake up?

Cartman's eyes widened in horror as if someone else had just broken into his mind and whispered that. But it wasn't, it was him; did he just say that?

He stepped back with a look of terror on his face, threw the door open and ran out.

Stan and Kenny looked up at the sound of the door slamming and frowned at Cartman's disappearance before looking back down to Kyle.

**A/N: Once again reviews are always very much appreciated and comments on how you think things are turning out!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: SO SO SORRY for the massively late update! D: Been trying to revise and sort other such annoying things but I promise I will try to be better with my updates from now on if you'll still have me :):):)  
><strong>

**This chapter will refer A LOT to actual South Park episodes so if you're confused about some parts maybe check your South Park episode guide and get watching ;) For the fans who know them all I hope you enjoy it!**

I don't care about the Jew, he could just die in there and I wouldn't care. He could stay asleep forever and I wouldn't care; Cartman had been thinking to himself the entire journey home alone and continued to as he stepped up to his front door.

"Oh poopsikins is that you?" Leanne Cartman called from the kitchen when she heard him slam the door shut.

"Yeah mom."

"Oh good I'm making your favourite for dinner."

"Great mom." Cartman called back and threw his school bag against the wall before walking heavily up the stairs.

Half way up, the phone started to ring in the other room but Cartman ignored it and continued up, leaving Leanne to frantically run in and pick up the phone still with an oven glove on her hand.

"Hello?" He heard her cheer merrily to the caller just as he reached the top of the stairs.

You're waiting for me to fall into your trap. You think I'll come round if you lie there long enough; well you'll have to do better than that! He thought as he walked along the corridor towards his room.

"Sweetums!"

He stopped just outside his bedroom door and called back impatiently over his shoulder.

"What mom?"

"One of your friends is on the phone."

Cartman groaned remaining just outside his door.

"Not now mom!"

"He says it's important."

He sighed loud enough for her to hear and headed back down the stairs just as slowly as he had travelled up them. Once he was down his mother went back to the kitchen as he went into the other room and sighed again before putting the phone to his ear.

"What?"

"I don't know if you care or not but the doctor told us something whilst we were at the hospital today." Stan said bluntly on the other end.

The doctor? Cartman's heart suddenly started to beat faster against his chest. Is he awake? Is he worse? I mean, what the f*ck do I care? Why the hell is he ringing me?

"Right." He replied just as bluntly.

"So do you wanna hear it?"

Yes.

"No, I don't care."

"Well you should asshole! You put him in that hospital!"

"I think you'll find Stan, that he wouldn't be in the hospital if he hadn't fallen off the roof."

"He wouldn't have been on the roof if you hadn't told him to be on it!"

"I wouldn't have told him to be on it if he hadn't kicked the crap out of me!"

"He wouldn't have done that if you weren't making him do all of this slave crap!"

"…Now we're just splitting hairs."

"You know what screw it; I can't be assed telling you, you don't give a shit anyway."

"Dam right." Cartman replied and Stan slammed down the phone leaving him with the low-pitched hum of the dial tone.

…An update from the doctor could mean anything. He could've twitched a finger or opened an eye, or he could've got worse and stopped breathing for a while.

He stood silently for a while with the phone still in his hand.

But it's more likely to be a trap, a trick to make me try and care.

But I don't care.

He shook his head and slammed the phone back down before marching back up to his room this time making certain he wasn't stopped and slammed his door shut.

God dam Jew, thinks I'll fall for that? If you're so desperate for me to care...try harder.

He walked into his room, kicking away a toy that lay in his path and jumped onto his bed.

What happened in the hospital was nothing probably all those disgusting hospitals fumes and smells, especially of dying old people, they made me feel dizzy.

He sat in the silence for a while but couldn't stop his mind from wandering. The harder he tried not to think about Kyle the more he did. The thought of the update he didn't hear kept on bugging him like a fly he couldn't swat away.

He sat up and looked around his room for something to distract him but what he noticed instead was the old Jennifer Lopez costume he had once made for his hand. As he stared at the fur coat and accessories he began to think about what he did with it, until a voice from his memory rang out in his head.

"What you did was totally stupid and racist! And you only did it to screw me over!"

It was Kyle's.

"Heh, good times." He laughed to himself; it was a good memory of Kyle getting pissed off by his genius plan.

His smile remained fixed while the memory was with him but by the time it went and his smile dropped he had realised that that was all he needed to do to get his head straight again.

To stop thinking about Kyle's pathetic little trick in the hospital all he has to do is remember the slimy Jewball he really is and all the countless times he's defeated him!

So he closed his eyes to see Kyle's infuriated face whenever he falls for his hilarious plans to destroy him and the smile soon came back.

"All you ever do is call me names and rip on me for being Jewish."

"Shut up about Jews fatass. You don't know a thing!"

"I'm gonna kill you Cartman!"

"Don't belittle my people you f*cking fatass!"

"You aren't going to get away with this you stupid asshole!"

Seperate memories of Kyle's voice began to flow together, one after the other, and they got faster and faster until the random sentences started to speak over each other and all that Cartman could make out was the occasional insult and mention of his name but he knew Kyle was pissed off and that was all he needed. He finally felt relaxed.

He could see pictures of Kyle's anrgy face, gritted teeth, clenched fists and screams of annoyance shoot before him like all of his best memories were coming together in a film reel. He smiled and settled back down onto his pillow with the comfort of his hatred for Kyle and enjoying memories of him at his worst until a different kind of memory he didn't even know he had kept flashed into view in front of him.

He was in 'Sizzler' at the entrance to the meat freezer. The Snooki monster was on top of him and Kyle was in the distance with Kenny and Stan transforming into something just as horrific as the Snooki.

Eventually he came to Cartman's aid with his fists clenched in anger by his sides and Cartman thought how he rarely sees him like this without the fury being directed at him.

"Get out of here you piece of garbage! You want a smush? Go creepin' somewhere'z else!" Kyle yelled viciously at the Snooki.

The Snooki watched Kyle intently and then crawled off him and started to talk to Kyle in a language only the two seemed to understand while Cartman watched from his position on the floor, his heart still racing with panic.

"You're garbage! You know that? You're cabbage!"

All Cartman could do was watch as Snooki began to screech again but Kyle just rolled his eyes at her.

"You've got cabbage in your muff!" Kyle shouted back and then the two began to shout over each other in a battle for dominance until Kyle smacked it around the face leaving it to crawl out from under him and escape through the window.

Cartman remembered how he slowly stood up weakly and pulled his trousers up. He looked over awkwardly to Kyle with slight embarrassment and expected Kyle to want a reward for saving him or at least to start gloating in his face. But instead Kyle watched him with sympathy in his eyes and a look of care he only ever seems to give to Stan or Kenny when they're in trouble. It was almost as if he saved him…because he cared?

"Thank you Kahl." He said slowly and sincerely.

Back on his bed Cartman opened his eyes and frowned. He stared straight ahead of him in a state of utter confusion

His mind was locked on the last image of Kyle and his concerned face but in an attempt to ignore it he laughed unconvincingly to himself and shook his head like he was trying to throw that memory to one side.

It worked for a while as his mind cleared and he purposely pictured Kyle when he was angry for something to replace the last image. With that, he gradually began to feel relaxed again and soon he was able to close his eyes and rest his head back on the pillow. However it wasn't long before another memory flooded back.

He was in a television studio and both he and Kyle were standing in front of rows of empty audience seats.

"Take a look fatass! I beat you!" Kyle smiled smugly, boasting with his hands on his hips while Cartman walked beside him fidgeting nervously with his hat in his hands.

"You aren't going on dateline, what do you have to say now?"

Cartman remembered how he looked around him at the empty seats and the relief he felt. He looked back to Kyle and then awkwardly at the floor to consider his next move before throwing himself on Kyle with glee.

"Oh thank you! Thank you Kahl!" He cheered but Kyle looked down at him confused.

"What?"

"I asked God to send someone to help me, and you came Kahl! I love you man!"

"No I beat you!" Kyle growled and shoved Cartman off him.

You totally saved my ass Kyle!" He cheered again and leant forward for another hug but Kyle refused and pushed him away.

"You must…really care about me!"

The memory was going to continue but Cartman sat up and shook his head ferociously and his heart stared to race now in fear of something else he didn't expect appearing. He attempted to laugh again as if what he had just seen was a trick he played on himself but he knew it wasn't and that just made him angrier.

"I don't care about Kahl! I have never cared about Kahl because he is a Jew asshole who doesn't care about me either!" He shouted into his empty bedroom but then looked around him and began to panic and fidget at his own eccentric reaction.

"Thi-this is just another Jew mind game!" He said now much quieter.

He stayed still and silent for a while, looking around him as if waiting for something to happen, but it didn't.

To make certain no other unwanted memory cropped up he concentrated hard on any memory he had of Kyle being unhappy but he found he had too many and they all seemed to be meaningless in comparison to the single ones that had flashed before him. His distracted and weak concentration on a vague memory only left way for a stronger one that had been hiding away with the others to take its chance now.

He could see a dark cave filling slowly with water. In the distance Stan had just pulled Kenny to safety and they were clinging desperately to a rock surrounded by the water. Stan turned around to face him and called out.

"Hurry Kyle, the water's rising!"

He soon remembered that Stan was shouting to Kyle who was clinging on to him with his feet kicking in the water desperate to keep them both afloat.

"Cartman! You've got to swim! Kick with your legs!"

"I can't kick!"

"Yes you can!" Kyle cried desperately.

"I can't kick you just have to save me!"

"I need your help!"

This time Cartman knew what he was seeing but his eyes remained shut, he wanted to see more, but his memory slowly began to fade, as the last thing he remembered was falling under water and his mind went blank. He tried to remember other events like it and found they came to him quickly as if his mind had been secretly storing them.

He saw them both diving from a half trapper keeper/half Cartman mess after Kyle had saved their lives, he saw Kyle lying in his room in San Francisco and called for him to get up, he saw Kyle standing in the pouring rain outside his house admitting he was wrong and he saw them outside Kenny's room in the hospital where the two were clinging to each other for comfort.

Then his own voice began to echo around him.

"I never meant to make you feel like you didn't matter at all to me. I know we argue all the time and I give you tons of crap, but we've also been through a lot together."

His voice continued as memories of all their adventures from kindergarten up to fourth grade spun around his mind. They laughed and have fun together as well as with Stan and Kenny.

"And maybe that alone doesn't make us friends but…it makes us something."

Cartman slowly opened his eyes to see his room again. He knew that when he said those words it was only to trick Kyle again but now the words seemed to have a meaning he had never thought about before; a meaning Kyle initially believed the first time he said it.

He sat up slowly on his bed again and stared ahead of him at his bedroom wall, his mind focused on the memories he had just seen.

"Dam Jew."

**A/N: Hope you kept up and enjoyed! Reviews would be very much appreciated like always to tell me your thoughts on what's going on :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Well this is the chapter you have all been waiting for! I am quite proud of it but we shall see if it lives up to its build up, I hope you like it and thank you to all who have stood by this story, it really means a lot! :D**

The next morning Stan ran desperately through the hospital corridors, dodging and diving past every obstacle in his way until he reached Kyle's room and burst in after throwing the door open.

The nurse was standing over Kyle again, smiling down at him but she looked up with a jolt in surprise at Stan's entrance.

"Oh hello."

Stan was standing in the doorway still panting; his chest was moving quickly up and down and his eyes were wide with anticipation but he stepped slowly into the room.

"Is he…?"

The nurse smiled just as Kyle let out a weakened groan and then moved his head towards the door.

"S-Stan?" He murmured quietly and fluttered his eyes open.

"Kyle!" Stan shouted with joy and ran towards the bed with a broadened smile.

"He woke up late last night; his parents were the first to be called but they just left to get some breakfast in the cafeteria." The nurse said.

"How are you feeling dude?"

"Still a little crap." Kyle said with a smile that looked like it didn't belong to him.

"You had quite a fall." The nurse said from above them.

Stan suddenly moved awkwardly and avoided Kyle's eyes, looking down guiltily at the floor. Kyle watched him do this and knew exactly what he was thinking about but didn't want to join him so changed the subject.

"They said I could come out soon." Kyle smiled again looking up at the nurse for reassurance.

"Well you're well enough to stand on your own two feet if that's what you mean." She laughed. "But you'll still need lots of rest and those casts will stay on your leg and arm, you're lucky you didn't land on your back!"

"School?" Stan questioned, sharply raising his head up again.

"They said I could come in Monday morning!" Kyle smiled at Stan's excitement. "But I'll have to leave before recess."

"That's great dude!"

"All right boys I'll be just outside if you need me." The nurse said sweetly and then left the room, gently closing the door behind her.

There was an uncomfortable and unnatural silence between the two for the first few seconds as both knew what would end up being mentioned but neither of them wanted to start the conversation.

Eventually Kyle sighed and looked away from Stan and back up to the ceiling where it was more comfortable to rest his head.

"Has he been in here?" He asked, defeated.

Stan hesitantly turned to him from facing the door that he had been purposely watching even after the nurse had left just to avoid Kyle's gaze.

"Yeah." He said after a pause.

"…And?"

"…And nothing dude. He left yesterday before the rest of us."

Stan watched as Kyle's face scrunched up to one of anger and his fists tensed by his sides. "I'm gonna kick his a-"

"Not like this you're not. You'll have to leave that to me." Stan interrupted and Kyle turned his head back to him and after a while the two smiled again.

"Oh! Have you seen your cards yet?" Stan laughed to finally break all tenseness in the atmosphere and get Kyle rested.

"Oh yeah I had a quick look before but couldn't see the ones at the back." Kyle said and laughed with him at the pictures everyone had drawn.

Stan reached to the back and pulled out the cards Kyle couldn't see and the two laughed as Stan told the stories and meanings behind each one.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Stan had gone home after being with Kyle all day and his parents had left before dinner meaning that Kyle was once again alone in his hospital bed.<p>

Even though he had been cheered up and comforted by Stan all day he couldn't help but feel that he was now shut in the room with the thought of someone else and it angered him that not only was he not appreciating Stan's friendship but also that the fatass was waddling about right now, probably with his self-obsessed smile, taking advantage of his absence.

He could feel a tenseness rising in his body but when it peaked his whole body began to ache and he let out a groan of pain and gritted his teeth just as the nurse came in.

"Hey little man! What have I said about taking it easy! You need some sleep!"

Kyle looked over at her from half closed eyes and then let them shut fully.

The nurse checked up on each patient regularly before the end of her shift and when Kyle fell asleep she was constantly peering her head around the door; but on her last visit she stepped into the room fully for a final check to make sure he was ok for the night.

Since Kyle had awoken from his coma he couldn't help but notice a creaking floorboard just in front of the door that made a noise like a whine of pain under the pressure every time someone stepped on it. This time when the nurse stepped in the noise woke him, but he was too tired to bother opening his eyes and decided to just try and get back to sleep.

She continued to check some of the machines around him and make sure everything was safe, as Kyle knew her routine by now, but it was interrupted when he heard a second creaking by the door.

"Oh hello." The nurse said cheerily at someone else who had entered his room.

There was an awkward cough before this person spoke. "Um, hi. I'm just here to um…see him."

It was Cartman. Kyle recognised his voice immediately and he was about to shoot out of bed and grab him by the throat, not caring about the pain that would follow, it wouldn't matter. But then he realised that Cartman had come on his own, and what was that he said? Come to see him?

The nurse looked back down at Kyle and thought he was still asleep so didn't wake him and just turned back to his little friend.

"I'm sure your friend will be glad to know you're here." She smiled and then headed out the door with her bag on her shoulder and jacket folded on her arm.

Cartman looked away awkwardly as she left and remained standing just in front of the door as if wanting to know there was still a way out.

There was a silence in the room that hung above him like a threatening heavy weight.

Kyle remained still, holding back his anger until the right moment.

Eventually after a few more agonisingly long seconds Cartman slowly rolled his eyes up to the bed and at Kyle. He took one step forwards and then a few more, slowly and anxiously until he reached the side of the bed and stood looking down at Kyle.

He stood there for a while, feeling a tenseness that was strongest around his throat, gripping him tightly almost stopping him from breathing; but he managed to say something quietly as if he wasn't really sure what he was doing.

"I guess you think there's a reason for what I do."

He stopped again to watch Kyle lie motionless, no reaction.

"It's easy would be a fair thing to say, I'm capable of manipulating and turning situations on their heads to please me like I'm clicking my fingers. I can easily dig into that Jew mind of yours and scatter all your idealistic beliefs of good and evil all over the floor under my feet…I can tear you to shreds." He said a little louder like he could now feel the recognisable self-pleasure he earned from those situations.

But then he stopped and looked down again at Kyle who remained motionless, his face still and calm.

"But I don't know why I do it to you. It's not about either of us winning, it never has been don't you see? I knock you down just for you to get back up again! It's all a game."

Another dangerous silence hovered over the room.

"Only…I've kind of been thinking and well it has always been like this hasn't it? And I don't think it'll ever stop. And even though you're fighting for it to, somewhere in that crafty Jew brain of yours you know I'm right, but of course you won't admit it.

But even when our anger pushes us off each other, sending us firing in opposite directions…there's still something…there always has been…something…that pulls us back. It could be that its fate, we are two sides of one coin…and I once even said it could be a faint resemblance of friendship…"

Silence.

Cartman walked away from the bed as if now not even he understood his own words or what he was trying to say and it angered him. He stood facing the wall thinking it might be easier if he couldn't see Kyle and began to fidget with his hands again.

"I never meant for this to happen Kahl." He continued after a deep sigh. "You probably don't believe me and probably never will but, especially at the times when it's most unbelievable I think that you…mean something to me. Sometimes it's those seemingly insignificant memories that you never knew you had that makes you so close to someone because you both know you don't want to lose those memories, like they're too important for some reason…maybe because there is the last glimmer of a forgotten or well-hidden feeling locked in them."

Silence.

"Look, it's easy to scream from a roof top that you hate someone but it's not so easy to scream that you don't…and I…don't, and no matter how many times I scream the easier option, know that I am whispering something else…only…where no one can hear me."

Silence.

"Kahl I…I'm sorry."

Time seemed to slow for Kyle as he slowly raised his head from his pillow and his eyes slowly opened wide and with reason and they looked directly down at Cartman.

He felt a disbelief, a shock, a feeling he had never felt for Cartman before but most of all it was of an unwanted forgiveness.

He stared softly at Cartman who began to fidget again as the silence loomed all around. Suddenly Kyle shut his eyes and dropped his head back seconds before Cartman flicked back around to face him again.

"Please Kahl." He said quietly as stepped back up to the bed to watch him sleep. "Please wake up."

He reached for Kyle's shoulder and was about to rest his hand on it but instead it just hovered there for a while before he retrieved it back. He then looked to the exit and after a short hesitation walked slowly towards it but stopped when he reached the doorway and spoke back over his shoulder.

"Please wake up." He whispered and then quietly left the room without looking back, leaving it once again in silence as Kyle slowly opened his eyes again and stared up at the ceiling.

**A/N: Just one more chapter to go! How will it all end when Cartman has no idea that Kyle heard every word of what he said? Well…wait and see ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So so so so sorry for the gap before this update! I had my last exams to get over and done with and now they are FINALLY done! As promised this is the final chapter of my story that I am SO glad you have all kept up with and enjoyed, all your reviews have meant so much!**

* * *

><p>By the time Monday morning arrived Kyle had already received a phone-call from the school and more specifically the "Take this wish" programme.<p>

For Stan, Cartman and Kenny the morning started in routine as they all stood at the bus stop together. They were in silence as Stan didn't want to talk to anyone but Kyle, Kenny was still waiting for his opportunity to have his wish and Cartman had nothing to say to them. During the silent wait Stan subtly turned his head to Cartman in a final attempt to see any last signs of remorse or guilt from him but he remained blank like he knew what Stan was trying to get from him and so purposely remained that way.

As Stan turned back he heard a tapping sound that was following a figure who took one small and slow step at a time. On turning to face the direction of the sound Stan immediately recognised the square hat on the figure and his eyes lit up as he smiled broadly.

"Kyle!" He cheered and ran forwards to Kyle to walk the rest of the way beside him as he hobbled on his crutches.

Cartman's eyes shot open with alarm and he turned with a beaming smile and look of utter relief before realising what he was doing and shot it down to a frown.

Kenny also turned and faced them with a smile of surprise.

"Kahl? What the f*ck are you doing here?" Cartman questioned intently.

"The nurses said I could come into school this morning." Kyle smiled at Stan and directed his answer more at Kenny who didn't know this. "Just thought I'd come and see you." He said now looking directly into Cartman's stare.

There was a silence again between all four of them and Cartman's heart pounded faster against his chest in fear at the look in Kyle's eyes that seemed to scream 'I know'. It lasted a few moments longer until the low-pitched groaning of the school bus from the distance grew louder as it drew nearer.

Kenny looked sharply at it with an almost insane grin and then to the road in front of him, he had been waiting for this opportunity and he knew it was worth it for that one wish he could get. He dived forward just as the bus approached creating a splattered mess at its wheels.

"Oh my God!" Stan cried and ran forwards to kneel down beside Kenny. "They killed Kenny!"

"You bastards!" Kyle called from where he stood, waving an arm at the bus still hooked to his crutches.

Cartman ignored Kenny and Stan's desperate attempts to free him from underneath and faced Kyle.

"So…" He coughed awkwardly." "S'up Jew?" He asked nervously.

"What's up?" Kyle repeated and turned slowly towards him. "What's up? That's all you have to say to me fatass? The last words you said to me practically threw me off a roof!" Kyle bellowed in fury.

Cartman's panic stricken face suddenly lit up as if someone had flicked a switch at the back of his head, he smiled broadly and his eyes opened wide with delight. He began to chuckle with his lips tightly shut as if trying to keep it in but then started to laugh hysterically when he couldn't hold in his relief any longer.

"Yes! If that is all you think I've said then yes it is!" He cheered hysterically and started to dance to himself.

This drew Stan's attention back to them and he watched them with a confused and slightly angered expression as if frustrated by their unexpected reactions to each other. He stood up and walked over to Kyle, leaving Kenny tangled under the bus, and they both stood watching Cartman dance and cheer what seemed to be random victorious lines.

"Dude? You're not going to kick his ass?" Stan questioned shocked.

"No." Kyle started and continued to watch Cartman dance.

Since both he and Stan thought of nothing but Kyle finally kicking Cartman's ass something had happened, Cartman has apologised; something that both he and Stan knew was impossible until the night Kyle was visited in his hospital bed. 'There must've been a reason for what he did' were his first thoughts when Cartman left, 'what does he gain from this?' and it took him a while to hesitantly trust a feeling he had retained and hidden from first meeting Cartman; that they secretly had a flicker of something resembling friendship.

And yet to Kyle there didn't seem an obvious purpose in admitting this to Cartman for the same reason that Cartman never admitted anything to him for so long; because they both knew and had both always known. It was locked in their shared seemingly insignificant memories.

"Look where that got me last time." He said and then smiled subtly so Stan couldn't see. "Besides it's too easy to scream from a rooftop that I hate him, and let's face it…that's what he wants."

Stan scrunched his face up because he didn't want to agree but did and then changed the subject so they didn't have to watch Cartman's dance anymore.

"So did the 'Take this Wish' programme give you anything?"

"Oh yeah; I said I wanted the whole programme to stop, for the good of the school." Kyle smiled turning back to his friend who smiled back.

"Good! Best wish of the lot…kind of sucks for Kenny though, huh?" Stan said and they both turned to the bus again to hear a long moan of pain.

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><p><strong>AN: I really hope that hasn't disappointed anyone! But please leave me your last comments about the ending or the story as a whole so I can decide what people want to see for my next one :D**


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